The Ondo State Government, through the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, has distributed N61.6m to 1, 540 elderly and physically challenged people in riverine communities of Ilaje and Eseodo local government areas of the state in a bid to empower them.

At the distribution of cheques to the beneficiaries in Igbokoda, the headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area, each of the beneficiaries were presented with a N40,000 cheque.

The state Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, in his remarks at the ceremony, said the gesture was part of his administration plan to ensure that the people of the state enjoyed the dividend of democracy, pledging that the administration would complete all the ongoing projects in the riverine area of the state.

Represented by the state’s Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Simi Odunmbaku, the governor said that OSOPADEC had distributed N25,000,000 to 1, 000 in 2008 when the support for the elderly people took off but saying the number of the beneficiaries and the amount had been increased during his administration.

The governor assured that the gesture would not stop in spite of the dwindling economic condition of the state and the country, reiterating that all the projects embarked upon by his administration in the area would be completed by the time he leaves office in 2017.

Mimiko said, “Times are hard, but the government understands the vulnerability of the people who are 70 years old and above. This class of people can no longer do any energy-sapping work such as fishing, which is the traditional occupation of our people in these local government areas.

“Though the support for the aged and physically challenged, which we started some years back, had suffered a setback due to the poor shape of the economy, eventually it has recommenced and would not stop again.”

The OSOPADEC chairman, Mr. Ogunyemi Johnson, while speaking at the programme, gave assurance that the commission would deliver on all areas of focus of the present administration in the state.

“I want to appeal to the good people of Ilaje and Ese Odo to continue to cooperate with this administration so that we will enjoy more dividends of democracy,” Ogunyemi said.

Source: Punch