Coastal Road: Poroye Urges Ondo Ministers, Senators to Fight for Ilaje, Ese-Odo
The Chairman of the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), Prince Biyi Poroye, has called on ministers, senators and other federal stakeholders from Ondo State to intensify efforts to secure the inclusion of Ilaje and Ese-Odo communities in the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project.
Poroye also urged the Federal Government to establish a special intervention fund for shoreline protection, road construction, waterway dredging, flood control and other critical infrastructure in the state’s coastal communities if the affected areas could not be accommodated in the highway project.
He made the appeal during a visit by a delegation comprising representatives of OSOPADEC, the Ondo State Ministry of Environment and the Ugboland Host Communities Development Trust to the Minister of Finance, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele.
The OSOPADEC chairman called for an end to the blame game surrounding the exclusion of parts of the state’s coastal areas from the project, stressing that political leaders and public officeholders should prioritise the welfare of affected communities.
He maintained that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road was a Federal Government project that required collective efforts from all stakeholders to ensure that Ondo State’s interests were adequately protected.
According to him, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has repeatedly appealed to President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, and Hitech Construction Company to reconsider the existing design of the coastal highway to accommodate other sections of the coastal region.
Poroye, however, insisted that the responsibility of securing the inclusion of the affected communities should not rest solely on the governor.
He urged federal ministers and senators representing Ondo State to use their positions and influence within the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly to persuade the relevant authorities to reconsider the road’s alignment.
“We must stop the blame game. This is a Federal Government project, not a state government project. It requires a collaborative effort from everyone who has a responsibility to protect the interests of Ondo State,” he said.
He specifically called on the state’s federal representatives to engage Umahi on the need to restore the Ilaje and Ese-Odo axes to the original route of the coastal highway.
Poroye argued that elected and appointed public officials from Ondo State should work together, irrespective of political affiliations, to address the concerns of their constituents.
“If we are saying the governor is not speaking enough, does that mean you, too, will not speak because you are not the governor? Are you not an indigene of Ondo State? This is not about political sentiments; it is about the future of our people,” he stated.
POROYE SEEKS SPECIAL FEDERAL INTERVENTION FUND
Beyond the coastal road controversy, Poroye called for a comprehensive Federal Government intervention package to address the longstanding environmental and infrastructural challenges confronting Ilaje and other vulnerable coastal communities.
He said the proposed fund should provide for shoreline protection, waterway dredging, flood control, access roads, livelihood restoration and measures to address related security concerns.
According to him, the intervention would provide an alternative means of delivering meaningful development to the affected communities if the Federal Government could not extend the coastal highway to adequately serve the Ilaje and Ese-Odo axes.
Among the priority road projects he identified were the Ugbo–Oghoye Road; the Akintubuwa–Mahin–Ugbo–Ugbonla Road, which he said required widening and connection to the coastal highway; the proposed Ugbonla–Aiyetoro Road; and the Agadagba–Obon–Arogbo Road.
Other roads he listed for urgent attention included the Araromi–Alape–Agerige–Lagos Road and the Ilutitun–Mahintedo–Itebu-Kunmi–Atijere Road.
Poroye said the proposed intervention fund would help tackle the infrastructure deficit in riverine communities and ensure that residents benefited from the Federal Government’s coastal development initiative.
He appealed to Oyedele to engage relevant federal authorities and facilitate the necessary funding, noting that the Ministry of Finance played an important role in the national budget process.
Congratulating the minister on his appointment, Poroye described the visit as an opportunity to present the concerns of the affected communities directly to a key federal decision-maker.
He expressed optimism that the engagement would open further discussions towards resolving the controversy surrounding the coastal road project.
The OSOPADEC chairman also urged the three senators representing Ondo State to engage relevant federal ministers, stressing that sustained consultations were necessary to secure a favourable outcome for the state.
He called on political leaders, public officeholders and other stakeholders to set aside partisan interests and work collectively to address the challenges facing the coastal region.
The Commissioner for Environment in Ondo State, Dr. Tob Loko, was represented at the meeting by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Engr. Akin Omotola.
The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ugboland Host Communities Development Trust, Sir Benson Obayelu, and other stakeholders also called for urgent Federal Government intervention to address the environmental and infrastructural challenges confronting the region.
Responding, the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, Mohammad Sanusi, who represented the Minister of Finance, assured the delegation that the Federal Government would explore possible areas of intervention in collaboration with OSOPADEC.
Sanusi emphasised the need for sustained engagement with relevant federal agencies to address the environmental and infrastructural challenges facing oil-producing communities in Ondo State.
