Ondo Assembly Pledges Strong Oversight, Partnership with OSOPADEC Board for Devt.
By Awodeyi Elizabeth
Members of the Ondo State House of Assembly Committee on the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), led by the Chairman, Honourable Primate Oluwatoyin Allen have pledged to offer robust oversight and legislative support to the newly constituted board of the commission in order to drive sustainable development in the oil-producing mandate areas.
Speaking during a familiarisation visit to the OSOPADEC headquarters in Akure, Honourable Allen noted that the primary purpose of OSOPADEC is to intervene and address developmental challenges in the oil-producing communities. He said the visit was the first of several engagements aimed at fostering transparency, collaboration, and improved service delivery.
“We are here to know ourselves, and after today, there will be more engagements individually or collectively to promote the progress of the board. Oversight is very important. When the commission appeared for this year’s budget defence, I mentioned the need for quarterly appraisals. Before we can touch next year’s budget, we must evaluate this year’s performance, especially abandoned or ongoing projects,” he said.
He disclosed that the committee would embark on oversight tour to assess OSOPADEC’s projects, with the intention of ensuring proper monitoring and accountability. “We are here to correct where necessary and build a just society. Oversight must be beyond reports,it must be visible,” Allen stressed.
In his welcome remarks, the Chairman of OSOPADEC, Prince Olabiyi Poroye, expressed appreciation to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for appointing them to serve on the board. He assured the legislators of maximum cooperation and a collective resolve to reposition the agency for greater impact.
“Our duty here is to ensure that we leave OSOPADEC better than we met it. We believe in training, capacity building and reforms that will improve the system. Oversight is not just a check but also a guidance mechanism, and we welcome corrections and collaboration,” Prince Poroye said.
He added that the commission would soon commence a project inspection tour and organise a retreat for board members to broaden their administrative knowledge and improve operations.
Other lawmakers present, including Hon Olawunmi Fayemi-Obayelu, Hon Olatunji Ifabiyi, Hon Kolawole Ologede, Hon Raymond Daodu, Hon Chris Ayebusiwa and Hon Tope Agbulu, reiterated the purpose of the visit: to familiarise themselves with the new board, encourage synergy, and ensure that challenges confronting the agency are addressed through appropriate legislative frameworks.
The lawmakers expressed optimism in the leadership of Prince Poroye, stating that with proper collaboration, residents of oil-producing communities would soon begin to feel the positive impact of OSOPADEC’s renewed efforts.
The visit climaxed with a facility tour led by the OSOPADEC chairman to the Commission’s Microfinance Bank in Akure, where the lawmakers carried out a preliminary assessment of operations.
COMMENTS