By Oluwayemi Davidson, Warri
The Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) says it has no abandoned projects in its mandate areas.
DESOPADEC made the claim in Warri in response to alleged distressing state of the Commission insinuated by the State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a statement issued by its Head of Media and Public Affairs Unit, Mrs Chinenye Ezonfade, copies of which were made available to journalists in Warri, DESOPADEC said that “the Commission has recorded giant strides in critical infrastructure and indelible human capital development in spite of the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic”.
It also remarked that “the noble objectives of the Commission have continued to inspire and guide every undertaking of the management since its establishment in 2007”.
According to the Commission, since the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in Delta State, DESOPADEC has been proactively reengineered along with a basic corporate template that compares with international best practices.
The statement read in part, “DESOPADEC operates a bottom-up approach whereby our mandate areas communities determine and request for prioritised projects which the Commission diligently grants and executes to the letter.
“This acclaimed practice has ensured that there are no abandoned projects throughout our mandate areas and a happy and fulfilled beneficiaries.
“Let us state very clearly that the Governor does not interfere in the running of the Commission, instead his support and encouragement have been a tonic responsible for our modest successes. Therefore, a normal staff audit, that every responsible corporate body should carry out at intervals, should not be cause for infantile innuendos.
“In every sector that spans housing, education, power, water, land reclamation, transportation, health, and human capital development, the Commission has been minded to make an indelible impact in the mandate areas, all of which are well documented in print and electronic media. The APC should dare and be open-minded to watch our weekly flagship 30-minute television programme titled DESOPADEC WEEKLY and also read our monthly newsmagazine, DESOPADEC NEWS”.
The Commission further highlighted some of its intervention inventory as including the Concrete Landing Jetty at Ajigba, Warri South LGA; Ultra Modern Opute Hall, Ozoro, Isoko North LGA; Cottage Hospital, Agoloma-Patani, Patani LGA; Edion Hall, Orerokpe, Okpe LGA; 1.85km Perimeter Fencing at Oliogo Secondary School, Oliogo Umuseti, Ndokwa West LGA.
Others comprise transformation of the twin communities of Obaghoro/Utonlila in Warri North LGA, comprising 50 fully furnished 2-bedroom bungalows, concrete jetties, water scheme, town hall, cottage hospital, concrete paved roads, school, reinforced steel-concrete bridge, provision of motorized fishing boats and other economic boosters, Fully furnished 4 semi-detached 2-bedroom bungalows and donated to the management of the National Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Warri South West LGA, Reinforced steel pedestrian bridge and concrete walkways at Tsekelewu, Warri North LGA, among others.