Nigeria, August 18, 2015, (Blank NEWS Online) – 

DELTA State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has signed the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) amendment bill into law.

The assent of the Governor to the DESOPADEC amendment bill 2015 will improve on the original law of 2006 establishing the Commission.

Governor Okowa said the amendment Bill which went through rigorous process before its passage by the legislature and eventual assent by the executive, would tackle the challenges of oil producing communities of the state, adding that the Commission has been structured to impact positively on the lives of the people in terms of infrastructural development, social services and economic services.

“There was s a lot of interest when this bill was presented to the House of Assembly and as is customary of Deltans who are very bright and vibrant, a lot of people showed interest and they had the opportunity to contribute their quota towards a robust Commission.”

While commending the state legislators for their proactive approach to law making and sending the bill to public hearing for Deltans to make their contributions to enrich the bill, Okowa disclosed that “there was a lot of engagement and misconception that arose from the fact that some people did not even know what was in the original law and did not know what was contained in the amendment bill that was sent to the House.”

Speaker Igbuya said, the bill was properly looked into by members of the House inspite of all the controversies surrounding the presentation of the bill which made members of the public to understand that the bill has no harm.

Recall that as a result of certain controversies surrounding the Bill’s amendments, the Delta State House of Assembly took the bill to public hearing before its passage.

The Bill, signed on Tuesday, August18, 2015 by the Governor was witnessed Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Monday Igbuya, Deputy Speaker, Friday Osanebi, principal officers of the House as well as the secretary to the state government, Festus Ovie Agas.

Meanwhile, Delta State Government has appealed to Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM) as well as its president generals and Community leaders to reconsider its decision and re-open the shut down oil facilities of Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) for operation.

The appeal was made by the state Deputy Governor, Kingsley Otuaro, at the instance of the state government at the Delta State Governor’s Annex, Ejeba, Warri, while speaking on the lingering issues between NPDC and HOSTCOM.

The state deputy governor urged the President Generals and community leaders to appreciate and identify with the efforts of government by coming together to seek ways and resolve the issues that is causing the anger and shut down of oil facilities.

Dr Edegware David, President General of Igbide community, who spoke on behalf of the forum, noted that the communities decided to honour the state government and re-opened the oil facilities, despite failure of NPDC to fulfil its part of the MoU aagreement.

Recall that the shut down oil facilities were sold to Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).

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