The Oyo State Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (OY-RAAMP) has trained stakeholders on Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) compliance, focusing on mitigating environmental hazards in rural road projects.
Speaking at the two-day workshop held at Tee’s Hotel and Suites in Oyo Town, the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Barr. Olasunkanmi Olaleye, emphasized the need for sustainable practices that balance development with environmental protection and social responsibility.
Speaking through the Director, Regulation and Enforcement, Mr. Olusegun Ezekiel, Olaleye noted that infrastructure projects can pose risks to communities if not properly managed.
“The decisions we make in planning, implementing, and monitoring our projects will impact our communities for generations. This training equips stakeholders to prevent environmental hazards,” Olaleye stated.
The Project Coordinator, Engr. Mrs. Adeola Ekundayo, highlighted the project’s achievements under Governor Seyi Makinde’s leadership, including the commencement of construction and rehabilitation of 65km of rural roads in Phase 1 and preparations for Phase 2, saying that the event aimed at training the Consultant, the Contractors and the Grievance Redress Committees on the project.
In their separate presentations, Mr. Lawal Adegboyega, Environmental and Social Safeguard officer, and Mrs. Sani Joan, Gender-Based Violence officer, both from the Federal Project Management Unit (FPMU), have lauded Governor Seyi Makinde for his unwavering support of the Oyo State Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (OY-RAAMP).
The officers highlighted that the OY-RAAMP, which was once in a critical state akin to being in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), has now become a model project for other participating states due to the governor’s proactive leadership.
They also urged contractors involved in the project to strictly adhere to World Bank standards, emphasizing the importance of promptly notifying the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of any emerging issues to prevent escalation.
RAAMP Development Communication Unit