— As OSOPADEC kicks off 2026 budget talks

By Dayo Johnson Akure

The Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission has kicked off consultations with stakeholders in oil-producing communities as part of preparations for its 2026 budget.

A stakeholders’ summit was held in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, where community leaders, professionals, and residents discussed development priorities for the mandate areas.

Speaking at the event, the state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, said the consultation became imperative to intensify efforts to deepen inclusive governance by engaging stakeholders from oil-producing communities in the preparation of its 2026 budget.

Aiyedatiwa urged stakeholders to actively participate in the budgeting process, saying development must reflect the needs of the people.

The governor, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Segun Omojuwa, said the summit was aimed at promoting grassroots participation, transparency, and accountability in governance.

He noted that sustainable development could only be achieved when communities are involved in decision-making and take ownership of projects executed in their areas.

Aiyedatiwa acknowledged the challenges faced by oil-producing communities over the years but assured that his administration remained committed to addressing developmental gaps through targeted interventions.

He also called for collaboration between government, development partners, and the private sector, saying the government alone could not meet all development needs.

The governor said his administration’s agenda focuses on inclusive growth, infrastructure development, human capital development, environmental sustainability, and good governance.

Aiyedatiwa said that “This gathering represents more than just a meeting; it reflects our collective commitment to purposeful governance, inclusive development, and sustainable growth in our oil-producing communities.

“I commend the leadership of the commission for taking this bold step to engage critical stakeholders ahead of the 2026 budget.

“This approach reinforces our belief that development must be participatory, transparent, and accountable to the people it is meant to serve.

“As we look ahead to the 2026 budget, I assure you of our commitment to seamless implementation once it is finalized.

” That is part of the reason we are here today, to ensure your meaningful contributions are reflected.

“We will ensure that every allocation translates into tangible benefits for our people. We will also uphold accountability and transparency in the use of public funds for development projects and programmes.”

In his remarks, the OSOPADEC Chairman, Biyi Poroye, said the summit was organised to present a baseline development report and gather stakeholders’ inputs for planning.

Poroye said the report, covering Ese Odo and Ilaje Local Government Areas, was presented for review to ensure accuracy and inclusiveness.

He added that over 1,000 stakeholders participated in the summit and were earlier grouped into committees to develop proposals for consideration in the budget.

The chairman also disclosed that the commission plans to hold an international conference in October on climate change challenges affecting coastal communities.

According to him, the initiative is expected to attract international support, noting that government resources alone are not sufficient to address the development needs of the mandate areas.

Poroye urged communities to actively take part in determining projects for their areas, saying development decisions should not be made without their input.

“The resources the government is putting in the mandate area alone cannot help us. What OSOPADEC is doing alone cannot help us. We need our friends, sympathisers, donors, believers in development in helping less privileged and less developed areas to come to the aid of the mandate areas,” Poroye said.

“Those and more are reasons why we have gathered here together and to also tell them what we have been able to do, what we are doing and what we will do, and above all, what they want us to do.

Poroye said that “Each community must choose here today what they want OSOPADEC to do for them unlike people sitting now in Abuja or in Akure deciding for them.