Sylvester Idowu in Warri
Contractors handling Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) have urged the state government to allow variations of their contracts to demonstrate fairness.
They hinged their stance on the depreciating value of naira and the continued delay in adequate funding of projects by previous administrators of the commission.
The Chairman of DESOPADEC Indigenous Contractors Forum, Ogie Samson, made the appeal last weekend during the body’s Thanksgiving/end-of-year party held at Jeddo near Effurun in Uvwie Local Government Area of the state.
He said members were facing serious challenges in the execution of projects due to astronomical increase in prices of materials, and stressed the need for the commission to allow for review of contracts.
Ogie declared: “We the indigenous contractors are pleading with the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) to allow for contract variation where cogent and verifiable reasons are adduced because of inflation, since the commission owes contractors heavily.”
Although, he said the forum had received some favourable response, he, however, urged the management of the commission to keep to promise as from January next year.
The DESOPADEC Indigenous Contractors Forum chairman noted that no union or association enjoy using protests to press home for genuine demands when the system works seamlessly.
He praised the Chairman of DESOPADEC, Hon. John Obukowho Nani, and the Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Chief Oghenekome Okpobor, for their urgent response to the forum’s complaints unlike before.
Ogie assured the management of the commission of mutual relationships in the coming year, all in an effort to hasten the development of the host communities in line with the mandate of the agency.
He commended the state Governor, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, for his sterling performance since he assumed office in less than a year, expressing confidence that he will not disappoint the people of the state.
The forum chairman, however, urged the governor to deploy more fund to DESOPADEC to enable the commission bring the expected development to the oil-producing areas in line with its mandate.
Highlight of the event was a Thanksgiving service held at Dunamis International Centre, Warri Centre, where Ogie said the service was designed for the indigenous contractors to appreciate God.
