By Dayo Johnson, Akure
AN intervention agency established by the Ondo State government to alleviate poverty in the oil rich communities, Oil Producing Development Commission OSOPADEC, says it has awarded rural electrification projects in the communities worth N3billion.

Conducting newsmen round the projects, the commission’s chairman, Debo Ajimuda, said the present administration would by February next year commission about ten different projects.

The projects, according to him, include a model school at Igbokoda, General Hospital at Agada Obom, another model school at Igbobini, health centre at Araromi, skill acquisition centre at Ugbonla and the Omuro International Market at Ugbo.

Ajimuda said that aboutN32 billion has been expended on road projects in the areas while about 131.52 kilometers of roads have been awarded by the agency in the communities.

He listed the road projects to include the 5.3-kilometer Igbokoda township roads at about N340m, the 12-kilometer Makun Atijere road, N745m and the 10.5-kilometer Igbotu-Igbekebo road at N632 million.

He added that others include the 35-kilometer Igbokoda-Aiyetoro phase 1 at N8.95 billion, the 42- kilometer long Igbokoda Ayetoro Phase 2 at N12.165billion, the 5.8-kilometre Oloto-Igbogunrin road at N1.6billion, the 10.92- kilometer Okitipupa- Ayeka- Irele road and the 10-kilometre Inikorogha/Oboro and Ojuala-Ipoke road at N701m.

The chairman said that the agency inherited a good number of these roads projects for which it has paid over N10billion, adding that the over N11.4 b has been paid to the contractor handling the inherited Igbokoda-Ayetoro phase 1 , 2 and 3 project.

The OSOPADEC boss stated that the commission would establish a new town known as the “Unity Village” along the Aboto Olokola road in Ilaje local government area of the state.

He said this would complement the Adagbakuja new town that was developed by the last administration, saying that the Unity Village would be located on a 5 by 40 kilometers expanse of land.