By Eseoghene Emuke
The Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Bashorun (Hon.) Askia Ogieh, has called for peace among oil producing communities in the state to enable the commission meet the developmental agenda in its area of mandate.
Bashorun Ogieh stated that all the lofty ideas and agenda of the commission for its area of mandate in the 2020 would be a mirage if the prevailing peace among stakeholders and communities is not sustained.
In a statement personally signed by him to celebrate the New Year, DESOPADEC MD rejoiced with the people of the commission’s area of coverage and all Deltans and to wish them a prosperous 2020.
The statement issued on Wednesday, Ogieh, said the commission under his leadership and administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa is poised to meet the developmental challenges of its area of mandate.
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According to him, “With God helping us, our focus in the year will be on the tangibles and intangibles, in providing for the needs of our people and meeting developmental aspirations of the various communities that form the oil producing areas of the State.
“We will be fully involved in the provision of healthcare facilities, educational and infrastructural development as well as socio-economic welfare of our people, throughout the year and in the coming years. We intend to ensure that every facet of the wellbeing of our mandate areas are captured and executed, in keeping with the overall developmental objectives of the Delta State Government.
“All these lofty projects earmarked for the year will be a mirage in the absence of peace and security. I am, therefore, pleading with all our traditional rulers, youth and community leaders to continue to maintain the peace in their various domains. We can only thrive and fast-track development in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. “
He added that the interventionist agency under the new leadership has committed itself to effecting a new approach in discharging its responsibilities, saying that henceforth the commission will use the Bottom-Up approach in its consultations and liaise with community leaders, youth and women groups.
He stressed the era of the commission choosing projects for host communities is, and vowed that DESOPADEC under his leadership will continue to remained transparent in ensuring peace and development in its area of mandate.
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Ogieh further said the commission will continue to support and promotethe Governor Okowa-led administration’s Stronger Delta policy towards greater accomplishments in spite of the peculiar challenges among oil producing communities.
“The year 2020 is unique as it marks the first full year into the new DESOPADEC management as well as the second term of His Excellency, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, Governor of Delta State. As you are well aware, ours is a major plank of the Stronger Delta policy of the Government and we are therefore poised for greater accomplishments despite our peculiar challenges as oil producing communities.
“The new DESOPADEC leadership has committed itself to effecting a new approach in discharging its responsibilities. Our Bottom-Up approach, therefore, will be sustained as regular consultations and liaison with community leaders, youth and women groups will be the primary strategy in choosing the nature of projects to be executed in our communities.
“The new DESOPADEC leadership has committed itself to effecting a new approach in discharging its responsibilities. Our Bottom-Up approach, therefore, will be sustained as regular consultations and liaison with community leaders, youth and women groups will be the primary strategy in choosing the nature of projects to be executed in our communities.
“At the risk of repeating myself, the era of management choosing and deciding projects for communities, is gone. We have decided that communities must own and protect projects in their areas. In effect, it behoves on the community leaders to report all noticeable shoddy jobs by our contractors to us for sanctions and possible determination”, the statement added.
Bashorun Ogieh also reassured staff of the commission of management’s “continuous readiness to ensure that their welfare is of utmost importance and that all due entitlements will be accorded them. And expectedly, staff members are enjoined to give their all for the successful implementation of the laudable programmes of the Commission. I pray, and I am assured of your commitment, to work harder to achieve the Commission’s objectives mapped out for the year.
“We pledge to run a transparent and people-oriented Commission, where we will be accountable at all times to all stakeholders. We urge you to continue to support the state government as the principle of building a Stronger Delta, through the provision of infrastructural and human capital development programmes and projects, will guide our activities throughout the year.”
The statement wished the people of the area and all Deltans a prosperous New Year.
