by Emmanuel Enebeli
Since 2019 when the current board of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, was inaugurated, the leadership has upheld and pursued the clear executive directive of His Excellency, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State, to achieve tangible impact in the oil producing areas of the state.
As an intervention agency of government, the engagement has been undertaken with every ounce of dynamism and full commitment to changing lives and the infrastructure narrative of various communities within available resources.
The array of interventions has been delivered with unalloyed adherence to quality, prudence and direct impact on the beneficiaries. The projects, evenly spread across the ethnic nationalities of Itsekiri, Ijaw, Urhobo, Isoko, Ndokwa and Ika, span the fields of Education, Social and Community Development, Housing, Water, Health, Power, Transportation and Human Capital Development, with the Commission undoubtedly surpassing the assessment parameter on the dashboard.
This synoptic appraisal of key sectors evidences the glorious testimonial of a Commission that has truly made a difference in the oil-bearing communities of our dear state and we are delighted by the resoundingly positive impact on the people.
Housing
Undoubtedly, at the pinnacle of the intervention of the board under focus is the bold initiative of addressing, for once, the challenge of office accommodation that has confronted majority of the Commission’s staff since its establishment in 2007. This resulted in the realisation of the Ultra Modern SEN. OKOWA TOWER, a five-floor, all-purpose office facility and legacy project. It is part of the broader corporate head office development programme that has seen the upgrade of the head office, including the supply of a 750kva generator to power the facility, interlocking of the posterior section of Complex “B” within the premises and many other upgrade initiatives.
The tenacity of purpose and commitment of the board to leave a lasting legacy in a most pressing area is one that will not only motivate the staff but certainly endear them to the Commission for a long time.
Roads and Transportation
Roads are the major channels of transportation of goods and passengers. They play a significant role in the socio-economic life of communities.
Driven by this understanding and a pragmatic passion to significantly increase the tempo of development in its mandate areas, the present board of DESOPADEC has taken very bold steps in intervening in the construction of various roads, jetties, bridges, concrete walkways, drainages, and rehabilitation of some roads across various communities. The aim is to develop critical infrastructure in the rural areas to enhance business and commercial activities, especially the movement of farm produce to processing centres and markets in upland and coastal towns and cities.
Some of the communities, by no means exhaustive, that have benefited in this sector include Obotebe I, Oghara, Jesse, Sapele, Warri Metropolis, Uzere, Oleh, Olomoro, Emede, Emevor, Ozoro, Ugbege, Ogheye, Oboghoro, Utonlila, Ofagbe, Ibrede, Abavo-Obi Anyinma and other towns and communities too numerous to mention.
The joy and pride of the benefiting communities give credence to the proactive engagement of the Commission.
Energy
As was stated by Shubham Chaudhary, World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, “the lack of reliable power has stifled economic activity, private investment and job creation which is ultimately what is needed to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.”
This deficiency calls for massive generation, distribution, and supply of electric power across communities in order to boost their economic activities, improve their social life and shore up the nation’s economy.
In realisation of the need to key into the overall agenda of steady power supply to Deltans and the Nigerian economy in general, the Askia Ogieh-led DESOPADEC board in the period under review has indeed brought a huge glow of hope to its mandate communities in the energy sector.
Within the three years of assuming office, the board has approved and delivered on the installation of several power transformers, high-powered generating sets, solar-powered electrification systems, and the extension of electricity cable lines to many communities.
These include the supply and installation of a new 2.5kva step-down Transformer at Kokori in Ethiope East LGA; the supply and installation of three 500kva transformers at Orogun Agulabhi Street, Okubioku, Okpe Street extension, and Erokure communities.
At Erokure DESOPADEC also extended electricity lines to connect the newly installed transformer. As one of the leaders, Chief Ogaga Oghoghorie noted, it was the first-time electricity lines and transformer were getting to the community and they were extremely grateful to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Okakuro Kent Akigho Okiemute, the Urhobo representative and the entire Board of DESOPADEC for their magnanimity
The intervention in the energy sector also includes the extension/rehabilitation of electrification projects at Ode-Itsekiri (Big Warri) in Warri South LGA, the traditional headquarters of the ancient Itsekiri.
The 500kva generating plant provided replaced the old generator that was no longer functioning effectively.
There is also the supply of a 500kva generator at Oporoza in Warri South West L.G.A. According to the Executive Director, Projects, Hon. Barr. Daniel Mayuku, the installation of the 500kva generating plant arose from the need to have a regular electricity supply in the community.
Speaking in the same vein, Hon. Griftson Omatsuli, Member Representing the Itsekiri Nation enthused that the process has elicited palpable happiness among indigenes of the community, adding that the provision of the generator was in line with the interventionist ideals of DESOPADEC.
Similarly, the electrification project at Ogume and adjoining communities in Ndokwa West LGA has become a reality, thanks to the full commitment of the board to drive it to a conclusion.
All these efforts were deliberately planned and executed to significantly raise the bar in the energy sector of its mandate areas. The response by the benefiting communities has been nothing short of full and unreserved appreciation to a people-friendly and demand-driven board.
