The Ondo State Government has assured the people of Ilaje in Ilaje Local Government Area of the state that the proposed Dangote Free Trade Zone in the area will not lead to the permanent disposal of their ancestral land.
The government said the project was part of its industrialisation drive aimed at attracting investment, creating jobs and opening up the coastal communities to economic opportunities.
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Forestry, Bidemi Obayangban, gave the assurance on Thursday while reacting to opposition by some Ilaje elders to the proposed project.
Some of the opponents had raised concerns over what they described as a “systematic land grab” through the establishment of the free trade zone.
But Obayangban said the government would protect the interests of the host communities while providing a conducive environment for investors to operate.
He explained that the government’s arrangement with investors was based on legally recognised leasehold frameworks rather than outright sale of community land.
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According to him, the arrangement would give investors access to land for development while preserving the ultimate ownership interests of the host communities.
“How can a region experience meaningful development if we are actively chasing away investors?” he asked.
He said the proposed project had the potential to attract capital, create employment and accelerate the provision of modern infrastructure in the coastal communities.
Obayangban said the government would not mortgage the future of Ilaje in the name of development, adding that Governor Aiyedatiwa was committed to protecting the interests of the people while pursuing investments that could transform the local economy.
He urged Ilaje indigenes to engage the government constructively on the project, saying concerns about land and community interests could be addressed through appropriate legal and administrative processes.
He added that rejecting major investments because of fears over land ownership could leave the coastal communities economically stagnant while other parts of the region attracted investors and benefited from industrial development.
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