ASABA/Nigeria: The Delta State House of Assembly Committee on DESOPADEC has reaffirmed its commitment to drive rapid infrastructural development in the oil and gas-bearing communities across the state. The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Austin Uroye, conveyed this assurance during the meeting with members of the Board of the Commission, at an interactive session held at the Assembly Complex in Asaba.
Hon. Uroye, who represents Warri South One in the Assembly, emphasized the crucial mission of DESOPADEC as an interventionist agency in the state, with a primary focus on oil and gas producing communities. He stressed the importance of realizing this mandate, underlining the Committee’s intention to foster collaboration to ensure DESOPADEC’s success in its upcoming tasks.
Furthermore, Hon. Uroye urged DESOPADEC officials, including Chairman Hon. John Nani and Managing Director Chief Festus Ochonogor, to dedicate their best efforts to bring smiles to the faces of the communities that the Commission was established to serve. He acknowledged the numerous challenges that the agency faces, ranging from issues deserving attention in DESOPADEC’s mandate areas to the imperative of maintaining peace, stability, and progress in these communities.
The Committee Chairman also charged the board to uphold rules of engagement and uphold standards in project execution.
Other members of the Committee, such as Ferguson Onwo, Fred Martins, and Oloye Pereotu, echoed the need for effective collaboration with relevant stakeholders in the awarding and execution of DESOPADEC projects. They highlighted the issue of abandoned projects and the necessity to complete them. Additionally, they called for transparency and accountability in accordance with state laws and assured their preparedness to facilitate the early passage of the Commission’s budget.
In response, Chairman Hon. John Nani and Managing Director Chief Festus Ochonogor briefed the legislators on the progress made thus far. They emphasized the Commission’s commitment to positively impacting the lives of oil-bearing communities despite the considerable challenges. Nani and Ochonogor commended the synergy with the House Committee on DESOPADEC, believing that such collaboration would further promote development in the Commission’s mandate areas.
The Board Chairman and Managing Director clarified that the Commission’s budget must undergo scrutiny by the State Assembly, as it merely implements the House’s budget. They expressed appreciation for the interactive meeting and its potential to lead to more progress in oil and gas-bearing communities.
