DESOPADEC Bill: Okowa’s aide urges Ijaws to shelve planned shutdown of oil facilities

SPECIAL Assistant to the Delta State governor on Youths and Community Development, Mr. Eric Omare has urged Ijaws in the state to shelve any intended plan to shutdown oil facilities in their areas in revolt to the amended bill of the Delta state Oil Producing Development Commission, DESOPADEC currently before the state assembly.

Omare who was speaking at Abraka during the annual cultural day celebration of the National Union of Izon Students, NUIS, Delta State University, Abraka chapter, explained that the bill is for the overall interest of the oil producing communities.

In his address to the students, Omare while appealing to them not to misconstrue the intentions of the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, stated that the aim of the government with the bill is to remodel the commission using the same template of the Niger Delta Development Commission for optimal benefit of the oil bearing communities.

He also harped on the need for them to enlighten others on the benefits of the bill, saying: “When former Governor James Ibori setup the commission, he did so to develop the oil producing communities and the Okowa administration has thought it wise that the dummy needs to be rebranded for optimal delivery.

“The bill is tailored by the state government to reposition and strengthen the commission as the government is not going to take what belong to you (Ijaws), rather it wants to the commission to effectively deliver on its mandate to the host communities.”