Itsekiri students, contractors suffering over IRDC litigation -Group Raises Alarm

Renowned Warri group, Itsekiri Consolidated Movement, ICM has raised alarm over what it described as untold hardship being faced by secondary school and tertiary students of Itsekiri extraction who are beneficiaries of Chevron sponsored Itsekiri Regional Development Committee, IRDC scholarship scheme.

The ICM in a statement released in Warri Wednesday February 21, averred that since 2015, the scholarship beneficiaries have not been paid and they are at the verge of dropping out of school due to inability to meet up to their financial obligations.

The statement which was signed by Chairman and Public Relations Officer of ICM, Messrs Oritsegbemi Besidone and Franklin Metsese respectively, lamented that even the resolution of the leadership crisis in IRDC, which led to the inauguration of a new executive hasn't helped the situation “because of the avoidable litigation instituted by a Warri Chief, thus leading to freezing of the development committee's project account”.

While stressing that independent investigations revealed that no single individual or group can siphon IRDC funds due to its structured governance model, the Itsekiri group asserted that Jakpa Town Hall and several housing units as well as jetties constructed by IRDC in 23 communities across Warri South, Warri South-West and Warri North Local Government Areas are visible for anyone to see.

According to ICM, apart from the suffering being faced by the scholarship beneficiaries, contracting firms which embarked on IRDC projects prior to the hitherto leadership imbroglio are folding up and the contractors who are Itsekiris are neck deep into debt running into millions of naira for jobs already certified “due to the freezing of Chevron/IRDC joint account over frivolous and baseless allegations”.

They appealed to those behind the litigation which culminated in the freeze of IRDC project account to withdraw the suit and allow reason to prevail “because the overall positive impact of IRDC, including job opportunities in Chevron for Itsekiri graduates and capacity building cannot be overemphasized”.

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