The Executive Chairman of the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), Prince Biyi Poroye, has disclosed that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has repeatedly appealed to President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, and Hitech Construction Company to reconsider the alignment of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road to accommodate the Ilaje and Ese-Odo axes.
Poroye, who made this disclosure while advocating Federal Government intervention in the coastal communities, said the governor had consistently presented the concerns of Ondo State over the current design of the coastal highway.
According to the OSOPADEC Chairman, the governor’s efforts underscore the need for other political leaders from the state, particularly federal ministers and senators, to complement his initiatives by using their positions to secure a favourable outcome for the affected communities.
“I can confirm authoritatively that Governor Aiyedatiwa has, on several occasions, consistently appealed to the President, the Minister of Works and Hitech Construction Company to reconsider the current design of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road to accommodate other axes of the coastal region,” Poroye stated.
He stressed that the responsibility of securing the inclusion of the affected coastal communities should not rest solely on the governor, urging federal ministers and lawmakers from Ondo State to intensify engagement with the relevant authorities.
Poroye maintained that the controversy surrounding the coastal road should not degenerate into political blame-trading, insisting that all stakeholders must work together to ensure that the people of Ilaje and Ese-Odo are not left out of the benefits of the federal infrastructure project.
He called on the state’s federal representatives to engage the Minister of Works and other relevant authorities to reconsider the road alignment and address the concerns of the oil-producing communities.
The OSOPADEC chairman also urged stakeholders to pursue a comprehensive Federal Government special intervention fund for shoreline protection, road construction, waterway dredging, flood control and other critical infrastructure if the coastal highway could not be extended to adequately serve the affected areas.
He said a coordinated approach involving the governor, federal ministers, senators and other stakeholders remained essential to securing lasting solutions to the environmental and developmental challenges confronting Ondo State’s coastal communities.
