The Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), at the weekend, disclosed that it had commenced the payment of outstanding N373 million bursary and scholarship arrears for both undergraduate and postgraduate students from the state.

Secretary of the Commission, Abike Bayo-Ilawole, who spoke during the presentation of cheques to the students at the Commission’s headquarters in Oba-Ile, stressed that the move would ease the financial burdens of undergraduate and postgraduate students in Ilaje and Ese-Odo local councils. She said that undergraduates in various higher institutions received N50,000 each, while PGD, M.Sc., and Ph.D. students will get N150,000 each.

According to Bayo-Ilawole, the commission verified and certified the authenticity of the returns received from various institutions to prevent the inclusion of ghost students as beneficiaries.

She, however, commended the state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, for the prompt response and commitment to advancing the education of indigenes from the state’s oil-producing communities, noting that the move will further spur them in their studies.

However, Bayo-Ilawole hinted that OSOPADEC had initiated inspections of ongoing projects across the state’s mandate areas with the aim of interfacing with contractors on site, assessing progress, and gathering feedback directly from the local population, as well as identifying any challenges faced by contractors.

The Secretary, who led the commission’s technical team on an inspection tour of the ongoing projects in Ilaje local council, visited the ongoing construction of the 32.725km Alape-Araromi Road, the 28.5km Aboto-Atijere Road, the School of Maritime Transport and Logistics at Olusegun Agagu University (AAUA), Ugbonla, and the Aboto Water Treatment Plant.

She said: “The impact of these projects on our people is immense. We have assessed the roads being constructed and have seen significant improvements. With the support of our governor, we can identify and accomplish our targeted projects within a specified period.”

She further noted that with the governor’s prompt approval, funds were recently released for asphalt laying on the Alape-Araromi Road, saying that the project would be delivered and commissioned soon.

The team also visited the 28.5-kilometre Aboto-Atijere Road and the water project in Aboto, which now supplies potable water to Ugbonla, Ugbo, Mahin and Igbokoda communities.

Meanwhile, a postgraduate student from AAUA, Taiwo Samuel, who lauded the governor for supporting the educational development of students, commended the secretary for maintaining the initiative, stating that the bursary payments will motivate students to achieve more.