Ondo State Governor, Dr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has approved a record N33.8 billion budget for the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission in 2025 – the highest allocation in the commission’s history.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, made this disclosure in a press release issued on Monday.
According to the release, the governor announced this while inaugurating the new OSOPADEC board at the Cocoa Conference Centre in Akure on Monday.
In his address, Governor Aiyedatiwa charged the newly constituted board to deliver transformative development to Ilaje and Ese-Odo LGAs – the state’s oil-bearing communities – under the administration’s “OUR EASE” policy framework focusing on Access, Service and Empowerment.
“With the amendment of the OSOPADEC Act signed into law late last year, the Commission has been fundamentally repositioned to operate with greater efficiency, enhanced transparency and renewed focus on optimal service delivery,” the governor stated.
The historic N33.8 billion budget will fund critical infrastructure including roads, schools, water supply, health centers and housing projects. It will also support youth/women empowerment programs, scholarships and skill acquisition initiatives.
Governor Aiyedatiwa emphasized that the board’s inauguration signaled his administration’s commitment to addressing longstanding challenges in oil-producing communities: “This is a bold statement that OSOPADEC will not only function under this administration but will also flourish. It must deliver transformation that speaks loudly and visibly in the lives of the people.”
The governor urged traditional rulers, community leaders and development partners to support the new board while warning that government support would be tied to transparency and measurable results.
In his response, newly appointed OSOPADEC Chairman Prince Biyi Poroye pledged the board’s dedication to delivering impactful projects that would improve livelihoods in mandate areas.
The inauguration was attended by top government officials including Deputy Governor Dr. Olayide Adelami, Chief Judge Justice Olusegun Ayedun, House Speaker Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji and Head of Service Mr. Bayo Philip among other dignitaries.
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Photo Credit: Peace O. Alade
