By Emma Arubi - Warri
THE Co-ordinator, Delta Ijaw Oil and Gas Producing Communities, Chief Favour Izuokumor has said that they would not accept the re-naming of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, (DESOPADEC) to Delta State Oil Producing Ethnic Nationalities (DESOPAENC) as was proposed by the state Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.
Izuokumor who is also the Spokesperson of the Ogbe-Ijoh Warri kingdom Council of Chiefs however said they supported the proposed amendment now before the state House of Assembly designed to make the agency more administratively efficient and effective in delivering physical infrastructure and empowerment dividends to the real oil and gas producing communities in the state and measures aimed at sealing all the loopholes and corrupt practices in the agency.
Izuokumor told Daily Independent in an exclusive interview in Warri that the proposal to run DESOPADEC on Senatorial basis would throw the state into another round of chaos as not all the ethnic nationalities in the state was oil and gas producing and therefore should not enjoy the equal rights with actual producers who also suffered the damaging effects of oil and gas exploration and exploitation.
He said that the only way to avoid chaos was to maintain the status-quo and retain the name, DESOPADEC as well as abide by the rules and guidelines provided for in the Act Establishing same since the administration of Chief James Ibori.
He said that the proposed renaming of DESOPADEC had ulterior motives and hidden agenda.
Chief Izuokumor said basing the administration of DESOPADEC on Senatorial principles will make the Itsekiri, Ijaw and Isoko oil and gas producing areas and who are also in one Senatorial district suffer gross injustice, exploitation and undue marginalisation in benefiting from resources in their own areas in terms of appointment, contracts and other social benefits.
He advised Governor Okowa not to listen to sycophants who are bent on tarnishing his good name for their selfish end and reminded him that the Ijaws voted massively to ensure his emergence as Governor and urged the governor not do anything or take any unwise decision that would drag his name to the mud.
He advised Governor Okowa to appoint only indigenes of oil and gas bearing communities into the key positions in DESOPADEC as doing otherwise would not go down well with the people he was voted into power to serve.
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