• Pledges Ondo’s collaboration with commission
• Commission, a reflection of Awolowo’s vision for South-West, says Adewinle

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, at the weekend, stressed that the establishment of the newly created South-West Development Commission (SWDC) would not only help to bridge the developmental gaps in the region but also unlock its economic potential.

Aiyedatiwa said that with the right leadership, the commission would serve as a veritable tool for economic revitalisation and social transformation, as well as tackling developmental disparities.

The governor stressed this in Ode-Aye, Okitipupa Local Council of the state, during a thanksgiving reception in honour of Dr Jide Adewinle, the newly appointed federal commissioner representing the state in the Commission.

Aiyedatiwa, while lauding President Bola Tinubu for establishing the Commission, reaffirmed his administration’s readiness to partner with SWDC and other federal institutions to advance infrastructural renewal, industrialisation and youth empowerment across the state.

On his part, Adewinle said that the SWDC was created to promote regional development by focusing on education, infrastructure, welfare and economic empowerment, describing it as a platform that would reposition the South-West for sustainable growth.

Adewinle recalled that the idea of regional development being championed through the Commission was a continuation of the visionary blueprint of the late sage, Obafemi Awolowo, whose policies transformed the South-West into an economic hub through education, infrastructure and agriculture.

He further explained that the SWDC would address the challenges of centralised development by initiating region-focused projects to boost economic fortunes and create jobs.

Chairman of Okitipupa Local Council, Andrew Ogunsakin, appreciated the governor for approving a five-kilometre road in the local council and lauded him for numerous ongoing projects across the state.