By Ayodele Oni

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has assured that his administration will open up the coastal areas of the State to facilitate economic development.

Aiyedatiwa, spoke at the commissioning of concrete walkway and a potable water supply scheme in Obe-Nla, Ilaje Local Government Area, and flagging off the construction of an additional three-kilometre concrete walkway for the community.

The governor said the projects highlight his administration’s determination to ensure that no community, regardless of its geographical challenges, is deprived of the dividends of good governance, stressing that equitable development remains central to the state’s EASE agenda.

Describing the projects as landmark interventions, Governor Aiyedatiwa said they were practical responses to the long-standing needs of riverine communities rather than mere physical infrastructure.

“This occasion is far more than the inauguration of concrete infrastructure. It is a reaffirmation of our administration’s unwavering resolve to ensure that no community, however distant or geographically challenged, is left behind in our march towards shared prosperity,” he said.

The governor noted that his administration has remained committed to executing projects that improve lives, expand opportunities and restore public confidence in government’s capacity to serve the people.

He recalled that residents of many riverine communities had, for decades, relied on unsafe wooden walkways across swampy terrain, a situation that impeded commerce, restricted access to schools and healthcare facilities and exposed residents to avoidable risks.

“As a responsive government, we could not afford to be indifferent. Today’s commissioning is therefore a practical response to genuine needs,” he added.

Responding to those who might regard the projects as modest, Governor said only those who had lived in the riverine communities could fully appreciate their significance.

He said: “Some of you that come from the upland may be wondering why we are celebrating and commissioning just concrete walkways.

“Those who live in this community and grew up here will appreciate more what we are doing today. This is a genuine need for our people.”

The governor assured residents that the intervention would not end with the completion of the walkways, declaring that his administration would embark on land reclamation to create more habitable land for the people.

“But we are coming. This will not be the end. We are going to give land to our people through reclamation in the days ahead,” he declared.

He described the completed walkway as “a corridor of hope, a pathway to dignity and a bridge to greater economic and social opportunities,” saying it would improve mobility, enhance safety and stimulate economic activities.

The governor also commissioned a potable water supply scheme rehabilitated from a non-functional borehole inherited from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

He explained that the project involved the rehabilitation of the borehole by the Ondo State Water Corporation, installation of a 50,000-litre elevated overhead storage tank, an extensive water reticulation network serving homes and public institutions, as well as a modern reverse osmosis water treatment facility to provide safe drinking water.

“This is not just for Obe-Nla. Neighbouring communities are also coming here to fetch water,” the governor said.

Highlighting ongoing infrastructure development across the riverine communities, Governor Aiyedatiwa listed the 38.5-kilometre Aboto-Atijere Road, the General Hospital at Agadagba-Obon, the two-million-gallon-per-day water sedimentation tank at Aboto, the mini water scheme at Molutehin and several community-based projects being executed through the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC).

He added that work was progressing on the 8.5-kilometre dual carriageway from College Road to Okitipupa Junction through Irewole Roundabout in Igbokoda and the Igbokoda-Okitipupa dual carriageway, while contracts had also been awarded for the Irele-Sabo-Mahin-Ugbo Road, selected roads in Igbokoda and the Zion-Pepe-Agerige Road.

According to him, the projects were deliberately designed to improve connectivity, unlock economic potential and accelerate development across the coastal corridor.

The governor further assured residents of Aiyetoro and other vulnerable shoreline communities that his administration is collaborating with the Federal Government and development partners, including HITECH, to address coastal erosion, flooding and sea incursion.

He urged residents to protect the newly commissioned projects, particularly the boreholes and water treatment facilities, to ensure their sustainability.