Group Seeks Credible Persons In DESOPADEC

General Manager, Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mr Celestine Ogolo (left) receiving calendars from the chairman, Nigeria Institute of Quantity Surveyors, Mr Anifowose Abayomi (MNIQs) during the visitation of the association to the corporation, recently. Photo: Nwiueh Donatus Ken

The Director, Centre
for the Vulnerable and Underprivileged, Mr Oghenejabor Ikimi, has urged Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State to appoint credible persons into the board of Delta Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC).
Ikimi made the call in Warri, Delta State, in a statement last Monday.
He also called for immediate audit of the commission’s account to ascertain the level of its records and activities.
Ikimi said that the board of the commission needed re-organisation to reposition it to meet the needs of the oil bearing communities in the state.
“There is nothing wrong with the present law that established DESOPADEC but rather the problem of the commission is with the executives.
“DESOPADEC was set up under Section 13(i) with the mandate to rehabilitate and develop oil producing areas in the State.
“To carry out other developmental projects as may be determined from time to time by the commission with 50 per cent earnings from 13 per cent oil derivation fund accruing to the state.
“Since its inception in July 2007, the commission has failed woefully to meet its mandate with an over-bloated workforce and board members receiving bogus salaries with their aides,’’ he said.
It would be recalled that the immediate past governor of the state, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, at the twilight of his administration, forwarded a bill to the State House of Assembly to discentralise DESOPADEC.
Ikimi, however, noted that decentralising the commission would be of no benefit to oil bearing communities in the state.
He added that the commission only needed re-organisation to enable it meet the needs of oil producing communities.
“Public office holders must learn how to respect and manage public funds for the benefit of members of the public by observing the virtues of probity, transparency and accountability,’’ he said.