By Mokobia Rita
WARRI/Nigeria: The Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) is set to embark on a renewed phase of grassroots development and project delivery following the one-year tenure extension granted to its Board by Governor Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori.
The extension, widely viewed as a vote of confidence in the Board’s performance, has energized the Commission to intensify efforts aimed at transforming oil-producing communities through strategic interventions in infrastructure, healthcare, education, empowerment and community development.
Managing Director of DESOPADEC, Chief Festus Ochonogor, disclosed this during a Board meeting in Warri, where he described the Governor’s decision as a strong endorsement of the Board’s commitment to translating government policies into tangible benefits for the people.
According to him, the renewed mandate goes beyond an administrative extension, representing a recognition of the Commission’s achievements and a challenge to deliver even greater results across its mandate areas.
“This extension provides us with a fresh opportunity to deepen our service to the people and consolidate on the achievements already recorded. Our determination is to ensure that every project undertaken by DESOPADEC continues to positively impact the lives of residents across the mandate areas,” Ochonogor stated.
The Managing Director reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to advancing Governor Oborevwori’s MORE Agenda, noting that the Board would continue to focus on people-oriented projects capable of improving living conditions and promoting sustainable development in oil-bearing communities.
In what is expected to further showcase the Commission’s developmental strides, Ochonogor announced that arrangements had been concluded for a comprehensive commissioning of completed projects across DESOPADEC’s mandate areas.
He explained that the commissioning exercise would provide stakeholders and residents with the opportunity to witness firsthand the impact of various interventions executed under the current Board.
According to him, the projects reflect DESOPADEC’s dedication to transparency, accountability and the prudent deployment of resources toward initiatives that directly benefit host communities.
The forthcoming commissioning tour is expected to feature several landmark projects spread across the Commission’s operational areas, highlighting achievements recorded under the present administration and reinforcing the government’s commitment to equitable development.
Ochonogor further pledged the Board’s continued loyalty and support to Governor Oborevwori, whose leadership, he said, has created an atmosphere of peace, inclusiveness and progress across Delta State.
He noted that the Governor’s vision for balanced growth and shared prosperity remains the guiding principle behind DESOPADEC’s activities and interventions.
The Board, he added, remains fully aligned with the objectives of the MORE Agenda and is committed to sustaining its implementation for the benefit of residents in oil-producing communities.
Stakeholders have expressed optimism that the tenure extension will enable the Commission to consolidate on existing gains and complete ongoing projects that are critical to the socio-economic development of the state’s oil-bearing areas.
As preparations gather momentum for the commissioning of completed projects, anticipation is growing among residents across DESOPADEC’s mandate areas, many of whom see the exercise as an opportunity to assess the impact of government interventions and celebrate the transformation taking place within their communities.
For the people of the oil-producing communities, the planned unveiling of projects represents more than a ceremonial exercise; it is a reflection of a development agenda steadily turning promises into visible progress and improving the quality of life of the people.
