Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo has emphasised the need to invest in rural projects, particularly the construction of roads, to ensure a steady supply of food from farms to the urban areas. 

Mr Aiyedatiwa noted that transforming the rural areas would also help raise the socio-economic status of the rural dwellers and promote agriculture as the backbone of the state. 

He made the position known at the groundbreaking ceremony of the 3.5km Ebute Ipare-oke rural road project in Ilaje LGA of Ondo Southern Senatorial District on Monday. 

“Our administration has been making deliberate efforts to emplace several life-changing programmes and projects geared towards improving the livelihood and living standard of the rural dwellers and teeming farming population in our dear state through the construction and reconstruction of several bad roads. 

“These we are doing for the rural communities, moreso that agriculture remains the backbone of the economy of Ondo State,” the governor said. 

Mr Aiyedatiwa posited that part of his government’s effort to boost the well-being of rural dwellers was evident in the ongoing road projects at Oda and Idanre towns in the central senatorial district. 

According to the governor, other road projects are ongoing at Molege, Owo, in the northern senatorial district, where contractors handling the projects have intensified work. 

Attributing the success of the projects to the state’s timely payment of counterpart funds for the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP)- a collaboration with the World Bank and the French Development Agency- Mr Aiyedatiwa promised the people of Ilaje that the new road would help address the economic gap between rural and urban areas.

Similarly, Mr Aiyedatiwa announced the establishment of nine agro-logistics centres across the state’s three senatorial districts, with Ebute Ipare to Oke-Ipare selected as one of the beneficiaries. 

Remarking, the administrative secretary of the Directorate of Rural and Community Development and chairman of the state project monitoring committee of RAAMP, Wole Akinkuotu, reiterated the current administration’s proactive stance in participating in RAAMP.