Renaming of DESOPADEC: Ijaw makes u-turn on ultimatum

In what can be described as a new twist regarding controversy trailing Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s  proposed amendment to DESOPADEC bill, the Coordinator, Delta Ijaw Oil and Gas Producing Communities, Chief Favour Izuokumor has stated that the ultimatum earlier issued to the State Government on the proposed renaming of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, to Delta State Oil Producing Ethnic Nationalities which expires Monday July 27 has been withdrawn to allow for further consultation and brainstorming on the way forward.

According to him, the decision to withdraw the ultimatum is sequel to the intervention of Traditional rulers, leaders and critical stakeholders of the Ijaw oil and gas bearing communities, saying that, “we shall take a final position on the matter after a more critical look at the government proposal before making our position on the matter known to government”.

Chief izuokumor had led a protest to the State House of Assembly against the proposal by the Governor, Dr. Ifeayin Okowa to Re-name the oil intervention agency and structure its operations in a way alleged to be to the disadvantage of the major oil and gas bearing communities.

He expressed the view that by attempting to run DESOPADEC on the basis of Senatorial districts, the Itsekiri, Ijaw and Isoko nationalities that produce the largest quantum of the oil and gas in the state would be at great disadvantage because the three ethnic group are all in one Senatorial district, Delta South, thereby making them a minority in appointments/benefits in all ramification from the proceeds of oil and gas resources from their own areas.

Chief Izuokumor who is also the spokesman of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom Council of Chiefs therefore advised that Dr. Okowa should desist from decisions and actions that is capable of triggering another round of unwarranted crisis in the state, saying that “we voted for him to emerge as Governor and must therefore not pay us back with injustice, oppression and marginalization because not all Delta communities or tribe are oil bearing that suffers the devastating effects of oil and gas exploration and exploitation activities in the State”.

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