By Sulyman Pakoyi

In actualisation of his administration’s agenda on food security, the governor of Ondo state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has performed the groundbreaking for the construction of 11.9km Molege-Agunbiade road in Owo East Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of the state.

At the ceremony in Molege, on Tuesday, the governor, represented by his deputy, Dr Olayide Adelami, said the project is a well-thought-out initiative to ease access to farmlands so as to enhance food security in the state.

He further revealed his government’s plan to build nine agro-logistics centres across the three senatorial districts of the state, one of which will be in Owo East LCDA.

“Our administration is fully committed to repositioning the rural communities and the rural dwellers to contribute significantly to food production by building rural roads and establishing nine agro-logistics centres across the three senatorial districts of the state.

“The actualisation of this projects was as a result of the timely payment of the government counterpart funds for RAAMP in fulfilment of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the World Bank and the French Development Agency. Recalled that our State joined other States to participate in the implementation of the RAAMP Project sometimes in March 2017 and was accepted by the Bank having fulfilled all the laid-down selection criteria for qualification.

“The dividends inherent in this laudable support and a tap into the open but guided opportunities of Development Partners are visible for all of us to see and celebrate today”, the governor added.

He charged the contractor to ensure strict compliance with international standard, and deliver the project in record time, asking the host community to take ownership.

Early in the year, the governor flagged off construction of 15.5km Oda Cocoa Board–Camp 2–Langbodo Road at Oda town, in Akure South local government and the 10.9km Idanre-Obajare road in Idanre local government, under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP).

The state Director General of RAAMP, Engr Adeniyi Adelabu, said Ondo State Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) has been at the forefront of achieving the agenda of the governor to produce food locally and in abundance.

“Our government’s decision to be one of the participating states in RAAMP was borne out of the concerned interest of Mr. Governor and the desire to change the negative narrative associated with getting access to the rural parts of the state. The state government continuous payment of counterpart funds has positively influenced the state rating at the World Bank” Adelabu noted.

He disclosed that Governor Aiyedatiwa has signed into law the bills establishing the Rural Access and Roads Authority (RARA) and the State Roads Fund (SRF), hinting that the boards for the new agencies will be constituted soon in order to continue the development of rural roads across the state.

In an interview with The Hope, the State Project Coordinator for RAMAP, Engineer Femi Adetanmi said the project is expected to be completed in the next 18 months.

He said the project was selected based on the number of medical and health facilities, schools, public places like churches and all other social utilities along the road.

Thanking the governor on behalf of the community, Chief Omotayo Akinrogbe said the road, when completed, will help farmers in bringing their farm produce to the markets, thereby reducing cost of transportation, which will impact on the overall cost of food items.

He said the people of the community will give adequate support to the construction team and the state government in ensuring the project is well executed.

Similarly, the transition chairman of Owo East LCDA, Olatubosun Aganun, cited some of the people-oriented programmes and projects of the governor across the state as a reason the All Progressives Congress (APC) will win the November 16 governorship election.

He assured the governor that the APC will record an overwhelming victory in Owo, saying the people of the state already found him as a worthy leader who can be trusted.