Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA) –By Albert OGRAKA:
The Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), has appealed to traditional rulers, youth and community leaders in the various communities that form the oil producing areas of the State to continue to maintain the peace in their various domains.
The Managing Director/CEO, Bashorun (Hon.) Askia Ogieh, (FCNA, CrFA), who made the appeal in a new year message, said “We can only thrive and fast-track development in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility.”
Bashorun Askia, while assuring that the Commission 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, maintained that “All these lofty projects earmarked for the year will be a mirage in the absence of peace and security..”
The DESOPADEC boss however pledge to run a transparent and people-oriented Commission, that is accountable at all times to all stakeholders.
“Let us give glory and honour to God Almighty for His faithfulness and mercy on all of us and for granting us the opportunity to cross over to the New Year and New Decade, 2020.
“On behalf of the board, management and staff of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), I rejoice with you, the good people of our mandate areas and our well-wishers.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“Let me reassure our staff 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.”
