ASABA/Nigeria: Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, has said that illegal Development Fee was banned in 2018 via a Bill he suported as Speaker, signed into Law five years ago by the State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa.
Oborevwori said it was mischievous for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, to allege that he (Sheriff) introduced “Deve” in Osubi Community and later spread to other communities in the state.
Mr Speaker disclosed that he personally ensured that the Deve Bill scaled through all hurdles, so as to outlaw the illegal fee in the state, and slammed Senator Agege for engaging in character assassination in his electioneering campaigns.
He noted that APC Guber candidate was economical with the truth about the origin of Deve Fee, saying that he became Osubi Community Chairman at a tender age in 1996 due to his visionary leadership, and that his duties and responsibilities as Chairman of Osubi Community does not include illegal collection of Deve.Fees.
Oborevwori said he only presided over matters relating to the general development of Osubi Community, and that he led a team that negotiated the Osubi Airport project with Shell Petroleum, adding that he also stood firm to ensure construction of the Airport was completed within time and according to contractual terms, without any confrontation or collection of any form of illegal fee by youth of Osubi Community.
Under the Law which outlawed illegal collection of Deve, offenders are liable to seven years imprisonment or option of N1 million fine or both. Oborevwori assured that Deve will not tolerated as Law is no respecter of any person, while urging Senator Ovie Omo-Agege to engage in issue based campaign.
The Delta PDP governorship candidate assured that all youth entrepreneurship programmes established by Okowa administration shall be sustained and well funded, because of the huge benefits so far recorded. These programmes are; project GEST, STEP, YAGEP, RYSA, et al.
Oborevwori reaffirmed his promise to operate an all inclusive government in his quest to advance Delta State through Meaningful Development, Opportunity for all Deltans, Realistic Reforms and Enhanced peace and security, anchored on transparency, accountability, honestly and equity.
