COP31: OSOPADEC Seeks Regional Alliance to Tackle Coastal Challenges, Attract Investments

Chiemelie Ezeobi in Antalya, Türkiye The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), Prince Olabiyi Poroye, has called for stronger collaboration among oil-producing states to address shared environmental challenges and attract investments to their coastal communities. Poroye made the call at the ongoing 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, where he highlighted the investment opportunities in Ondo’s coastal areas and urged neighbouring states to approach their environmental challenges as a regional concern. He described Ondo’s coastal environment as investible, citing its proximity to Lagos State and opportunities in land reclamation, tank farms and other investments. “For a prospective investor that can’t speak to the future, look at there. What can we do for a man that wants to build a tank farm? The man that wants to go and play in our core investment?” Highlighting the potential of land reclamation, he said investors could reach agreements with host communities to reclaim larger portions of land than initially required, with the additional reclaimed areas protected for future investments. “What about the closeness of our coastline to Lagos State? What about the concept of hospitality for the future? For example, if it generally is to reclaim some of this land, you can go into agreement with the community. The community needs, let’s say, four kilometres to be reclaimed, and you choose to reclaim 10 kilometres. Then the six kilometres belong to you. You keep it and protect it for the future, because whether you like it or not, investment will definitely go to that area.” Poroye warned that failure to protect the coastal environment would worsen the challenges confronting communities and increase the resources required to address them. He disclosed that some water infrastructure projects being constructed by the commission had been affected by environmental intrusion. “We are constructing water systems today. Most of our water system has been affected by the influx of this intrusion, meaning that the world will be spending more money to provide more water, which would have been easily done.” He also warned that environmental degradation could deepen unemployment and trigger agitation by taking away the livelihoods of people in affected communities. “And just as it has been discussed by Ben, the damages this environment is causing the people. Just as I said yesterday, I hope the governments of the world will not have to tackle unemployment that will lead to agitation again, because when the society is taking away from what they are living on, then the number one result is agitation. These are more of what we are trying to avoid in our system.” The OSOPADEC chairman said the commission had already begun implementing interventions despite its limited resources, insisting that the challenges confronting the communities could be addressed with adequate funding. “I’m talking to the world. We have not done justice. You all might be looking at this our problem as a big problem. We have started providing solutions. Even with the little resources we are getting, when you see what we are building, you will know that it is doable. “If today we have $50 million to reclaim Ayetoro, it will also build the solar energy in some other community.” He also maintained that residents of the oil-producing communities were willing to contribute to their development. “And I’ve said, our people are willing to pay. We are not lazy people. We are not lazy people.” Poroye further called for a regional approach among oil-producing states, particularly Ondo, Delta and Bayelsa, to address environmental challenges affecting their communities. He recalled that Ondo State pioneered the establishment of an oil-producing areas development commission, with other states subsequently adopting the model. “Ondo State was the first to establish Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission. Delta came and learned from us. Edo came and learned from us. And today, other states have done it. “What are we doing so that we can take our problem as a regional problem?” He disclosed that he had intervened in a recent disagreement involving Delta State and other stakeholders, stressing the need for neighbouring states to recognise that they shared one environment. “Recently, there was a kind of crisis between Delta State, almost the crisis is about to erupt between Delta State and those states providing in our community. I have to come in to let the people know that it is one environment, and we must not allow such to happen.” He said OSOPADEC was willing to take the initiative by engaging other states to develop a common regional framework for addressing their shared challenges. “So, if Ondo State leg had started this concept that has been approved today, it should not be out of point if the chairman of OSOPADEC takes it upon himself again to go to others and see how we can sit together to form a regional concept.”