OSOPADEC Chairman, Prince Poroye inspects all the Commission’s offices, Long-abandoned Guesthouse in Akure, promises to build modern guesthouse within one year
_OSOPADEC is ready to do profitable businesses with capable investors, 33b budget is not enough to achieve our vision for the mandate areas – Poroye_
The newly appointed Chairman of the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), Prince Biyi Poroye, has pledged sweeping reforms aimed at revitalizing the Commission’s infrastructure, operations, and economic viability.
During separate inspection tours of the Commission’s main office complex and the long-abandoned OSOPADEC Guesthouse in Akure, Poroye outlined an ambitious vision that includes a comprehensive office upgrade, full automation of operations, and the complete reconstruction of the Guesthouse within a year.
At the Commission’s headquarters, Poroye expressed dismay over the deteriorated condition of the facilities and emphasized the urgent need for modernization. “OSOPADEC deserves to have one of the best offices in the state. You should walk into this place and feel a sense of pride and belonging,” he said. “We cannot effectively serve our communities if our own working conditions are substandard.”
Accompanied by key leadership members, including the Secretary of the Commission, Poroye highlighted the need to rekindle the spirit of unity and purpose that once defined OSOPADEC. “In the past, we saw life, we saw love, we saw oneness. Coming to OSOPADEC made us happy because it was the center of abstraction where great ideas and community development were born,” he reflected.
Poroye also called for a return to the Commission’s founding values of love, forgiveness, and cooperation. Noting the historic nature of his leadership team, which includes two Executive Directors for the first time, he encouraged staff to embrace openness and innovation. “When there is love, new and transformative ideas will emerge,” he said.
Central to the Chairman’s modernization agenda is a full automation of OSOPADEC’s operations. “The world has moved forward, and we cannot afford to be left behind. Our systems and processes need to be efficient, transparent, and technology-driven,” he asserted, pledging that staff welfare will remain a top priority. “A happy staff is a productive staff. It takes a happy person to carry out meaningful work in our mandate areas.”
On the Chairman’s inspection team were the Executive Director of Finance, Hon. Mallon Ogbaro; the Executive Director of Projects, Dr. Olujimi Kuffo; and other non-executive members.
As part of efforts to diversify and strengthen OSOPADEC’s economic base, Poroye revealed plans to venture into agriculture, healthcare, and strategic partnerships. “We want to see the Commission owning assets, creating jobs, and transforming lives. We envision a cancer center built on our land that attracts global attention and patronage. This is our dream, and with God on our side, we will achieve it.”
In a concrete step towards these goals, Poroye announced the one-year reconstruction of the OSOPADEC Guesthouse located in Alagbaka, Akure. Built in December, 2002 to provide accommodation for visitors from mandate areas, the facility has since fallen into disrepair.
Speaking at the site, Poroye described the hospitality industry as a vital economic sector OSOPADEC must invest in. “The good thing about the hospitality business is that we also patronize hotels. So why should we take our money elsewhere to waste? As long as the Commission pays for guest accommodation, it makes better sense to invest in our own asset,” he explained.
The redesigned Guesthouse will be a modern two-storey building equipped with a presidential suite and an elevator, built to international hospitality standards. Poroye emphasized that the new design will maximize the use of land and enhance the Commission’s public image.
Mrs. Joy Omotosho, the Guesthouse Supervisor, praised the Chairman for his decisive leadership. She noted that the building’s dilapidation had long been a source of embarrassment and expressed hope that the reconstruction would restore its original purpose and prestige.
The Guesthouse project is expected to boost internal revenue generation, reduce operating costs, and align with Poroye’s broader vision for a self-sustaining, efficient, and development-driven OSOPADEC.
As these bold reforms begin to unfold, residents and stakeholders across Akure and OSOPADEC’s mandate areas are optimistic that a new era of accountability, innovation, and transformation has arrived.
