ISOKO Challenges DESOPADEC

By Julius Oweh, Asaba

The Isoko ethnic nationality has challenged the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) to justify its existence by the completion of the major electricity project in Isoko land.

The president-general of Isoko Development Union, Chief Iduh Amadhe threw the challenge at DESOPADEC while speaking to reporters at Oleh, headquarters of Isoko south local government area.

Amadhe stated that it does not make sense for DESOPADEC to embark on many projects which at the end of the day are not completed.

He therefore tasked DESOPADEC to complete the Ozoro-Emevor-Afiesere electricity project, adding that abandoning the project at Emevor Girls` Grammar school; Emevor was a poor advertisement for the agency.

He advised the agency to use the bottom -approach method in selecting projects for the various communities, stressing that imposing unwanted projects on the communities in the name of satisfying some political cronies was a wrong way of addressing the needs of the oil bearing communities.

He pleaded thus: `DESOPADEC officials should leave their offices and visit the communities and ask them what they really want. In the case of Isoko land, complete the electricity project and stop putting pockets of projects all over the place. All abandoned projects should be completed before thinking of new projects`.

Amadhe also called on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to properly fund the agency so that it could meet the developmental aspirations of the oil bearing communities.

He observed that apart from proper funding and approval of DESOPADEC budget by the State House of Assembly, the legislators and other stakeholders should monitor the expenditure of DESOPADEC so that such funds are not diverted to other areas.

The Isoko leader regretted the many years of agency existence has not really impacted positively on Isoko land which is a major oil producing area in the state.