The Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has reaffirmed his administration’s unwavering commitment to the protection and welfare of citizens as relief materials were unveiled and distributed to communities affected by the recent ocean surge in Ilaje Local Government Area.
The intervention, carried out through the Ondo State Emergency Management Agency (ODSEMA), followed the Governor’s directive for swift and coordinated action to provide immediate succour to impacted residents. Beneficiary communities in this phase include Ayetoro,Agerige, Ogogoro, Obe Nla, Obe Adu, and Abereke, all of which suffered varying degrees of destruction from sea incursion, rainstorm, fire outbreaks, and other related natural disasters.
The relief materials distributed comprised mattresses, bags of rice, and vegetable oil, carefully packaged to cushion the hardship faced by affected families and help restore a measure of comfort and stability to their homes.
In his remarks, the Administrative Secretary, Office of the Deputy Governor, Mr. Frederick Orunko, stated that the distribution was executed in strict compliance with Governor Aiyedatiwa’s directive and under the effective supervision of the Deputy Governor, Dr. Olayide Adelami, mni, as Chairman of the Agency. He added that the exercise would continue in batches, with additional relief materials already being arranged for other affected communities across the state.
The Special Assistant to the Governor on Emergency Response, Hon. (Prince) Wellington Oriade Adebawo, reiterated that beyond immediate palliative measures, the Aiyedatiwa-led administration is exploring sustainable and long-term solutions to address the recurring challenge of sea incursion in Ilaje and other vulnerable riverine communities.
Also speaking, the representative of the Ilaje Local Government Chairman, Hon. Emmanuel Ojagbaletiwon, conveyed profound appreciation to Governor Aiyedatiwa for fulfilling his promise to support the affected communities with timely relief materials.
He explained that the Local Government Chairman was unavoidably absent due to an urgent state assignment and expressed his conviction that the Ondo State Government remains steadfast in its resolve to alleviate hardship and restore hope to adversely affected communities.
Community leaders who spoke at the event commended the Ondo State Government for the swift intervention, describing the distribution of relief materials as a clear demonstration of responsible leadership and a government that stands firmly with its people in times of distress.
Present at the event were the Director of Finance and Administration (DFA) of ODSEMA, Mr. Richard Aina; the Desk Officer of ODSEMA, Mr. Ayesa Kehinde; as well as other officials and community stakeholders.
