… rolls out climate-smart urban expansion plan
The Ondo State Government has defended the ongoing urban expansion into parts of the Omi-Eja corridor and Fasoranti Park in Akure, insisting that the decision was strategic, security-driven and backed by a comprehensive climate remediation framework.
In a policy statement issued by Dr Abiola Bashorun, the government said the land-use transition was not an act of indiscriminate deforestation but a controlled response to Akure’s rapid population growth, rising housing demand and mounting pressure on infrastructure.
According to the document, Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa’s administration acknowledged public concerns over forest clearing but stressed that urban expansion must translate into long-term ecological, economic and social benefits for the state.
The government explained that designating sections of Omi-Eja and Fasoranti Park for development was aimed at addressing housing and infrastructure deficits, unlocking economic opportunities, creating jobs and preventing unplanned urban sprawl and informal settlements.
Beyond development needs, the statement highlighted growing security and safety concerns associated with retaining large, dense forest reserves within the heart of Akure.
It noted that such areas had increasingly become hideouts for criminal elements, heightening risks of kidnapping, armed robbery and other security breaches, while also limiting effective surveillance.
The proximity of unmanaged forest land to residential, commercial and government facilities, the government said, posed additional risks as the state capital continues to expand. Converting select forested zones into planned urban districts, it added, would improve policing, ensure clearer land ownership and reduce the misuse of ungoverned spaces.
On the economic front, the government said the reclassification of land would boost internally generated revenue through land leases, property taxation, development charges and commercial investments, with proceeds channelled into infrastructure, social services and environmental remediation programmes.
While acknowledging the environmental impact of forest clearing, including reduced carbon sinks, temporary biodiversity disruption and loss of green cover, the government said these effects were being addressed through a multi-layered climate strategy.
Central to the plan is the Ondo Climate Offset and Reforestation Programme, which mandates the planting of two to three hectares of forest for every hectare cleared.
Reforestation efforts will prioritise degraded forest reserves, river basin buffer zones and erosion-prone lands, using only native and climate-resilient species.
The government also announced plans to establish permanent urban green belts, city forests and ecological corridors across Akure, while granting legal conservation status to remaining natural green areas to curb flooding, heat stress and air pollution.
As part of urban restoration efforts, a mandatory tree-planting policy will require every residential, commercial and institutional property to plant at least ten trees.
Compliance will be integrated into building approvals, certificates of occupancy and major renovation permits, with seedlings supplied through state-supported nurseries.
In addition, new developments in cleared zones will be required to comply with low-carbon construction standards, while future industrial facilities around Akure must be carbon-capture ready. Habitat banking funded by developers and biodiversity restoration outside urban cores will also be introduced, with independent ecological monitoring by academic institutions and civil society groups.
The policy further outlined the Ondo State Climate-Smart Agronomy Programme, aimed at reducing pressure on natural forests through agroforestry, regenerative farming practices and the integration of economic trees into farms.
The initiative is expected to improve yields, boost farmer incomes and turn farmlands into carbon-offset landscapes.
To ensure community inclusion, host communities will be engaged in tree nurseries, reforestation contracts, forest monitoring and other green programmes designed to create sustainable jobs.
The government pledged transparency and accountability through satellite and ground-based monitoring of cleared and replanted trees, carbon emissions and verified offsets, alongside periodic public reporting and penalties for non-compliance.
Reaffirming its position, the Ondo State Government declared: “We are not trading forests for development.
“We are converting land value into long-term ecological and economic capital. Akure will grow responsibly, sustainably and with accountability.”
It concluded that the Omi-Eja and Fasoranti Park expansion is anchored on net-positive reforestation, mandatory urban tree planting and inclusive governance, positioning Ondo State as a development-forward yet climate-conscious subnational government.
