NDDC Donates Relief Materials to Ravaged Ondo Community


The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has donated relief materials to Aiyetoro, a coastal community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, recently ravaged by ocean surges. The relief materials were handed over to the community leaders by the NDDC Executive Director Projects, Mr. Charles Ogunmola, who was accompanied by the NDDC Director of Ondo State Office, Mr. Olaniyi Salami, and other directors of the Commission, at a ceremony at Naval Base Igbokoda.

Ogunmola said: “We are here to sympathize with you and to show you that the NDDC cares about your welfare and well-being. We have donated some palliatives, including food and non-food items, to cushion the effect of the ocean surge on you. We have also brought some medical personnel to meet your health needs.”

He added that the intervention was in phases and that the NDDC would also look into the possibility of completing the shore protection project awarded in 2006, which was stalled. He said the project was meant to prevent further erosion and devastation from the ocean.

Ogunmola Stated: “We are not here to make promises but to take action. We will do everything within our power to ensure that this project is completed and that your community is protected from future occurrences of ocean surges. We will also work with other relevant agencies and authorities to find a lasting solution to this problem.”

He urged the community leaders and residents to cooperate with the NDDC and its contractors to ensure that the project was executed without any hitch. He also advised them to take precautionary measures and avoid building too close to the shoreline.

The Director, Ondo State office of NDDC, Barr. Salami Olaniyi Okogie, said Ogunmola's visit to Ilaje was mainly to flag off the distribution of Palliatives donated to Aiyetoro victims and also to inspect devastated communities in Aiyetoro for proper attention by the NDDC.

 

Speaking on behalf of the Aiyetoro community, Apostle J.I. Ajijo said that there was no proper study or research on how best NDDC and Federal Government could handle Aiyetoro ocean surge and urged the Commission to use modern technology to tackle the sea incursion.

The Secretary of the Aiyetoro Youths Congress, Emmanuel Aralu, who received the NDDC delegation and the relief materials, expressed appreciation for the gesture and commended the Commission for its swift response. 

He said: “We are grateful for this visit, and we hope this is the beginning of a new dawn for our community. We have suffered for over 20 years from climate change and oil exploration activities, which have eroded more than half of our land and rendered many people homeless and jobless.”

He appealed to NDDC to expedite action on the shore protection project and urged other stakeholders to aid and protect their lives and livelihoods.

Ibitoye Abosede, Ph.D.

Director, Corporate Affairs

April 28, 2023.

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