Ignore Calls for Scrapping DESOPADEC, Contractors Tell Oborovweri

Sylvester Idowu in Warri

Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) Contractors Forum has urged the state Governor, Hon. Sheriff Oborovweri, to ignore calls for the scrapping of the intervention agency.

Chairman of the forum, Ogie Samson, in a statement issued in Warri yesterday, described those calling for the scrapping of the oil producing communities intervention agency as anti-community development in Delta State.

Reacting to a recent online publication, in which some people advocated the scrapping of the commission, Ogie cautioned those behind the agitation, noting that they should not work against the MORE Agenda of the state governor.

He described those behind the publication as either blackmailers angling for selfish gains or working against the interest of Governor Oborevwori to spread infrastructures to the oil producing communities.

“It is a clear fact that the mindset of some people are extremely greedy and selfish and that is why they always make themselves available to be used or create chaos.

“The people behind the publication for the scrapping of DESOPADEC lack the sense of development. In checking their status, these are people have embezzled public funds, even in the community where they came from,” the DESOPADEC chairman said.

Ogie recounted several infrastructural projects, ranging from roads, education and entrepreneurial skills, youth empowerment and several others which the interventionist agency have executed in the past and still executing today.

“Let us look at, to mention but a few, some of the achievements of DESOPADEC. So many people, who are homeless, have been able to get good homes through DESOPADEC housing scheme. I am also a great evidence where a difficult access was made possible when a road contract was awarded to cut through a river in Ugbuwangwe in Warri South Local Government Area (LGA) in order for a good access road. Such complicated jobs were done through many indigenes who are contractors thus creating employment for the people through the interventionist agency.

“Students have been having adequate supports, the physically challenged have been able to be empowered to go for skill acquisition and empowered to fend for themselves. Different projects have been able to reach villages that are very far from town, empowerment has been able to reach farmers and Fishermen and women through the supplies of fishing boat and fishing equipments, transportations in riverine areas has become easy through desopadec supplies of boats, as even uncountable people with medical issues have been sponsored abroad for adequate medical treatment through the interventionist activities of DESOPADEC”, Ogie added.

While wondering why a group of people would want to truncate the activities of DESOPADEC inline with its mandate, the Chairman of DESOPADEC Contractor’s Forum described them as enemies of progress and should retraced their steps for their own good.

“I see people, who hate such interventionist agency, as agents of darkness. People should allow DESOPADEC to do their good work rather than seeking a platform of distraction. His Excellency, Hon Sheriff Oborevwori is acting in his promised agenda known as the More AGENDA and this is why he has entrusted capable hands to handle the affairs of DESOPADEC”, he said.

The Chairman of DESOPADEC Contractor’s Forum therefore called on Governor Oborevwori to ignore those working against his interest and concentrate on adequate funding of the agency to enable it bring more smiles on the faces of the people of the oil producing communities.

He commended the Governor for his monthly release of funds to DESOPADEC geared towards implementation of infrastructural projects in the oil producing communities as part of Oborevwori MORE Agenda.