By Sam Akadoro / Special Correspondent, Sapele
The people of Ibada-Elume and Ugborhen Communities in Okpe Local Government Areas of Delta State have passed a vote of confidence in Dr. Henry Ofa, Commissioner representing Ethiope West, Sapele and Okpe Local Government Areas on the board of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) because his activities as one of the best performing commissioners who have impacted positively on the lives of the people in his mandate areas.
The people of both communities, who paid him a courtesy call in his office at Adagboyerin – Oghara duing separate visits, commended him for his love for his people, describing him as their hero who has represented them very well since his appointment, by completely transforming his mandate areas.
The people of both communities remarked that they were always comfortable and at peace whenever they are with the Commissioner, who they said operates an open door policy, expressing satisfaction that the Commissioner has kept faith with all the promises he made to them at the time of his appointment, and during his familiarization visits to communities under his mandate areas.
The people maintained that if they have the power, they would make him the next chairman of the board to represent the entire Urhobo people’s interest and Delta State at large, since, adding that he is a detribalized personality whose interest is the betterment of humanity.
The secretary of Ugborhen Community, Comrade Odjuwuederhie Samuel Odafe, who spoke on behalf of his people, said the Commissioner has done well and their visit to his office was to tell him that he has done well for his people and for him to know that his people appreciate all that he has been doing for them. He harped on skill acquisition programme for his people, especially the youths, who could be trained in the repair of solar streetlights at a minimal cost effect to the board of DESOPADEC. This way, he said the youths are the beneficiaries that could be engaged by the government to repair the streetlights whenever they are bad.
Odjuwuederhie, while applauding the sterling qualities of the Commissioner further, he revealed to him that despite the fact that his community has about 18 oil wells fully operational, DESOPADEC presence was still lavishly felt in the area with more projects still coming in by the day, a situation which he said the community never experienced in the past.
Responding to the speech of the people, the Commissioner appreciated the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom for the prevailing peace in Okpe land, stressing that the peace in Okpe land was remarkable, which he attributed to the wisdom of the monarch in ruling his people that has aided his operation, noting that if the youths in the community had been restive, there was little or nothing he could achieve.
He prayed for more long life and wisdom from God for the monarch to rule Okpe Kingdom to the promise land, as he reminded the people of all the good plans the Monarch has for Ugborhen community and indeed the entire Okpe Kingdom and the Hostcom Chairman Okpe Local Government Area Mr. Kwame Odah who emphasized that Ugborhen Community must be developed just as he told them that he is aware of the chunk of oil deposition in that community as the economic hub of the Okpe Kingdom and Delta State in particular.
He told them that Ugborhen has a right to demand projects but not a privilege since they are critical stakeholders in Hostcom, which agitated for the creation of DESOPADEC; assuring Ugborhen Community that he will do everything within his powers to ensure that what is due for them comes to them.
The Commissioner enumerated some of the ongoing projects in the area to the youths and as well as assuring them that some would soon be commissioned in due cause.
He requested both communities to put in writing in form o documentation their priority projects which DESOPADEC will keep in their database and subsequently they will be channeled accordingly to the year’s budgetary provision, promising that he (Ofa) as a youth will never disappoint them but to perform better for other Commissioners after him will emulate.
He commended Ugborhen youths for their peaceful disposition, adding that even though they have several oil wells, it never gone in them and carried away by misbehaving but they choose to remain calm, gentle always unlike some other communities, appealing to them to always sustain that kind of peaceful relationship between the community, DESOPADEC contractors and other government agencies contractors including the oil companies and that they should not ever confront government even though they are from an oil community rather, “you should dialogue with them even though it take time, yet at the end of the day it pays”.
Ofa reminded them of the inherent danger associated with confrontation with government or oil companies, which he said in most cases could result in death and those who lost their lives in the process could not be brought back to life, urging the people continue to dialogue and at the end of the day God will reward them.
He thanked them for recognizing his good works, while referring them to some of the projects, which he has completed in the area since he assumed office, including the DESOPADEC office built in the three local government areas of his mandate areas. While listing some of his challenges to include the blockage of the Sapele DESOPADEC office road by a lady with a gigantic underground fuel tank which prevented the contractor handling the project from continuing with his work.
Ofa told them their mode of operation, which is a bottom top approach, where communities suggest their own projects but not DESOPADEC determining their projects anymore, assuring them that he will always be there for them at any given time. He assured the governor of the state that he will not disappoint him and the people, adding that he will deliver on his mandate, as he pleaded with them to always support the governor’s programmes at all time.
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