The Executive Director of Socials in the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Chief Favour Izoukumor, has revealed that the Commission is making moves to hold a centralised critical stakeholders meeting with host communities in the oil and gas sector as part of its plans to effectively deliver on infrastructural development and other initiatives to the expectations of the people.

The ED made the disclosure on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, when he received, in company of the Commissioner representing the Ijaw ethnic nationality Hon. Spencer Okpoye, some members of the OML 42 Host Communities Forum from Warri South and Warri South-West local government areas of the State.

While addressing members of the OML 42 Forum in response to their demands for better infrastructures and empowerment, Chief Izoukumor hinted that the move for such a critical stakeholders meeting is for the Commission to be aware of the pressing challenges and needs of the people in line with Governor Sheriff Oborevwori's vision for bottom-top development approach.

He said, "We are planning to host critical stakeholders in a centralised form whereby most of the challenges, the shortcomings of the commission (maybe what we have not done and all that), we want to get them because it is the bottom-top approach, which the Governor Sheriff Oborevwori-led government believes in.

"So, in line with that vision, we have almost perfected the plan to ensure on how we embark on that critical stakeholders meeting whereby all your issues (even though you put or document them and all that), we are going to get them, spiral bind them and study them to see how we can bridge those shortfalls," he assured.

Among other issues such as scholarship and skill acquisition, the ED appealed to host communities to be patient with the new government and with the leadership of DESOPADEC reiterating the fact that the Commission was established to tend to their needs.

"We want to tell you that we are resolute as called to ensure that we give our best to our people. All of us knows that the essence of the creation of DESOPADEC is to intervene. And what are we intervening? To bridge the gap of what the government has not done, in terms of infrastructural development, human capital development.

"Since the creation of DESOPADEC, the commission has gone extra miles to be doing year in and year out skill acquisition. The fourth batch of skill acquisition has just been completed, very soon we are going to organize their graduation party and they are going to get their starter packs and start their business. And once we are done with the fourth batch, we are planning to commence the fifth batch," he further revealed.

Speaking further he said, "On the issue of scholarship... we felt that it should be downplayed for now. But despite the fact that the 100 percent scholarship that the Board was doing before now, the Commission still introduces budgetary provisions for oil producing undergraduate.

"I want to use this opportunity and this medium to inform you that within the shortest possible time, we are going to inaugurate the committee to see that the bursary stipends will be released to encourage our students in the oil producing communities," he added.

#penglobalcommunity #DESOPADEC