Restructure DESOPADEC into ethnic agency, Commission Not Working

Restructure DESOPADEC into ethnic agency, Commission Not Working

…Says agency serves Politcians, against interest of oil producing communities

By Ezekiel Kagbala (FPR)

A frontline Niger Delta activist, human right crusader and community leader, Comrade Mulade Sheriff has called on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State to urgently dissolve and restructure the Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission, DESOPADEC, into ethnic development agencies.

Comrade Mulade alleged that DESOPADEC has drifted from the original purpose for which it was established, that is, to develop oil producing communities of the State.

He opined that the Commission now serves the political party in power and other interest groups to the detriment of the host communities.
He bemoaned the sorry state of DESOPADEC, claiming it has metamorphosed from conceptual creation as a beacon of hope but now bridled with the antics of propaganda by politcians who enjoy and feed on the prowls of the agency.

According to his findings beneficiaries of the system are taking advantage of the administrative imbalance as well as misappropriation in the agency, borne out of unbridled and endemic corruption and political favouritism.

He alleged that the current DESOPADEC has become an abracadabra, a kind of conduit pipe, monumental fraud tank, used by some unpatriotic State officials to rob oil producing communities of their much needed socio-economic development.

Lamenting further he said, “Every day the people get poorer for it, while the operative of the agency smile around since they enrich themselves and their cronies with contracts while they place before our very eyes fake development schemes.”

Comrade Mulade therefore called on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to urgently abolish the current structure which to him is bedeviled by misappropriation, deception and secrecy, and adopt an ethnic development Commission, which correlation will be clearer and better embraced, where the people will feel the impact of the agency, with the communities choosing their respective credible and trusted ethnic representatives in a democratic process devoid of political manipulation. This is what democracy is all about, as it is a government of the people for the people and by the people.

Comrade Mulade pointed out that the purpose of establishing DESOPADEC has been compromised, as the interventionist agency allegedly now serves parochial interests of only the party in power or Political loyalists who are appointees of the Commission.

In an equivocal voice, he claimed that the Board and Management of DESOPADEC have totally deviated from its original vision and mission by engaging in elephant projects to impress the people instead of building physical structures in the oil producing communities that need urgent development.

Comrade Mulade urged Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to listen to the yearning of the vast majority of progressive mind in the State and restructure the Commission into forms comprising the five ethnic groups with the current sharing formula or percentages, and establish same as an Ethnic Development Agency. He said this would create a sense of ownership among the ethnic groups and also an enabling environment for rapid development in the State.

He said a restructured DESOPADEC would help to minimize if not eradicate a situation where the Board of the agency could easily divert the Commission’s funds into meaningless or dubious projects.

The human right activist strongly urged Governor Okowa and the Delta State Government to overhaul the agency instead of reconstituting a new Board with fraudulent politicians, against the interest of oil producing communities of Delta State.

Court orders Okowa government to account for over N200bn education funds, allocations

Court orders Okowa government to account for over N200bn education funds, allocations The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, in a landmark judgment, has “ordered the disclosure of the spending details of over N200bn public funds collected by the government of former Delta State governor Ifeanyi Okowa from the Universal Basic Education Commission [UBEC] fund and allocations from the Federation Accounts.” The court ordered the Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to “disclose details of budgetary allocations and actual spending by the Okowa government between 2015 and 2019, including specific projects carried out to improve primary education in Delta State, and the locations of such projects.” The judgment was delivered by Honourable Justice Daniel Osiagor, following a Freedom of Information suit number: FHC/L/CS/803/2019, brought by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP). In his judgment, Justice Osiagor held that, “SERAP has cognizable legal right to inquire and

Olu Of Warri Defends Tradition, Speaks on Christianity

Olu Of Warri Defends Tradition, Speaks on Christianity The Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ògíamẹ̀ Atúwàtse III, has dispelled the insinuation that there is a conflict between the traditional thrones and Christendom. The monarch, who stated this when he received the Soun of Ogbomoso land, Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, Orumogege III, in his Palace in Warri Kingdom, Delta State, said that the two institutions were not necessarily antithetical. He also debunked the assumption that traditional institutions were synonymous with fetishism and the worship of creations made by human beings and reasoning. He, however, noted that the two institutions can play complementary role that will contribute to the growth and development of the country. The Olu, who said he was elated by the Soun’s visit, said the new Ogbomoso monarch’s choice of Warri kingdom as his first place of visit was divinely directed, just as his choice for the throne was divinely ordained. He said that they owe i

Many Benefited as Tantita Save Niger Delta From Enviromental Ruins

Many Benefited as Tantita Save Niger Delta From Enviromental Ruins It is on record over the past twenty years in the Niger Delta region, South-South Nigeria where incessant fire disaster and untimely death was on the increase in weekly basis as result of the activities of illegal oil bunkering, especially the process of local refining popularly known as Kpo-Fire. The menace also renders our young married ladies widows in the ljaw riverine communities because most of their life partners venture into the Kpo-Fire business due to its lucrative nature in making quick money. To proof your doubt, take a tour to any of the ljaw riverine communities across Burutu, Warri South-West, Bomadi, Patani in Delta State, and Southern ljaw, Ekeremor, Nembe and Brass LGAs in Bayelsa State, you will discovered that most of our youths are facially disfigured in parts of their body as result of severe fire accident incurred during cooking and burning (refining) of crude oil to kerosene, fuel and desiel for

FocalPoint Reports

Search This Blog