Aiyedatiwa Orders Audit of Disputed Forest Reserve, Moves to Protect Farmers and Investments
June 13th 2026 AKURE .
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has directed a comprehensive boundary audit of the disputed forest reserve concession linked to Rex Forestry Limited in Ondo West Local Government Area, as part of efforts to resolve lingering land-use conflicts and create a sustainable framework for agricultural development.
The governor gave the directive on Monday during a meeting with farmers from 27 affected communities at the Cocoa Conference Hall in Akure, assuring stakeholders that government would protect existing cocoa plantations while pursuing policies that support both local farmers and private investors.
Aiyedatiwa said the state would adopt a structured mixed land-use system that accommodates farming activities alongside large-scale agribusiness investments within clearly defined and verified boundaries.
According to him, conflicting claims over the actual size of the concession—estimated at between 37,000 and 50,000 hectares—have made a thorough verification exercise necessary, especially as farming communities insist that about 10,000 hectares are currently under cultivation.
To address the dispute, the governor directed the Surveyor-General to conduct a detailed demarcation and verification exercise, stressing that government decisions would be guided strictly by factual findings.
He assured farmers that no cocoa plantation would be destroyed during the audit process.
“They are not touching your cocoa trees until we finish verification,” the governor said.
Aiyedatiwa explained that where adjustments become necessary after the verification exercise, the government would implement a phased transition programme rather than forceful displacement. He added that affected farmers would be supported with alternative farmlands and seedlings.
The governor also revealed plans to establish new farm settlements under a broader agricultural restructuring programme designed to sustain production and improve rural livelihoods.
He emphasised the importance of balancing community interests with investment opportunities, noting that large-scale investors play a critical role in job creation, industrial growth and infrastructure development.
Aiyedatiwa maintained that concessions lawfully granted by previous administrations remain valid, underscoring the need for policy consistency and continuity in land administration.
Highlighting the benefits of private sector participation, the governor disclosed that an investor is currently constructing a 27-kilometre road valued at approximately N1 billion to improve access to farming communities in the area.
He said the project would enhance market access for agricultural produce while creating employment opportunities for local residents.
The governor urged communities to avoid confrontations with investors and instead channel grievances through appropriate government institutions.
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ondo State Development and Investment Promotion Agency (ONDIPA), Emmanuel Omomowo, said the state government had been actively mediating disputes arising from investor concessions within forest reserves.
He noted that Rex Forestry Limited holds a 37,000-hectare concession but that unresolved boundary issues and competing community claims necessitated the governor’s intervention.
Omomowo expressed confidence that the verification exercise would produce a fair and lasting resolution that protects both community interests and investment commitments.
Also speaking, the General Chairman of the Ondo Ilulade Cocoa Farmers Cooperative Society, Chief Philip Akinbanjo, commended the governor for assuring farmers that their cocoa plantations would remain protected.
The Special Stakeholders Adviser to Rex Forestry, Olu Agunloye, stated that the company had previously agreed with the Ministry of Agriculture to allow farming activities in areas of the concession that had not been cleared.
He said the company had accepted the governor’s directive and would operate within the framework being developed to ensure peaceful coexistence between investors and local farmers.
The meeting was attended by the Deputy Governor, Dr Olayide Adelami; Chief of Staff, Prince Segun Omojuwa; Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry, Engr. Leye Akinola; lawmakers, traditional rulers and other stakeholders.
