Resort To Blackmail, Assassination Attempt, Are Fruitless-----Contractors Blast DESOPADEC

Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) Indigenous Contractors Forum (DICF) had described as cheap blackmail by the Board and Management of the interventionist agency that the Forum is factionalised.

The Forum, in a statement issued and signed by it's Chairman, Engr Ogie Samson Oritsebemigho and Secretary, Prince Charles Ebigbagha said it was not surprised by an unsigned statement by a mischievous person fronting for the Commission alleging that he is a member of the Forum alleging it's factionalisation.

In the unsigned statement titled "Unmasking The Truth: A Rebuttal To The DICF Baseless Campaign DESOPADEC", the self acclaimed anonymous signatory also alleged that the Commission pays contractors as at when due but except for those failed in the execution of contracts awarded them.

The group said it's investigation reveal that no member of the Forum issued such a statement and that all members are in full support of the actions taking so far by the executives of the body in fighting for their rights.

"Ordinarily, we wouldn't have reply to the statement by that mischievous writer but have to knowing fully well where the author is coming from and his/her intention which is to blackmail us.

"We are putting it on record that there is no faction in DESOPADEC Indigenous Contractors Forum. We have only one executive led by Engr Ogie Samson Oritsebemigho as Chairman and Prince Charles Ebigbagha as Secretary and assisted by other Exco members.

"We want the faceless writer or should we refer to him as Ghost writer to name the factional leader of the forum he belong. We believe the writer is not our member, from investigation so far, but one of the apologists of politicians of DESOPADEC management", it stated.

The Forum said it has all video and voice recordings as well as documents of all transactions with the Board and Management of DESOPADEC in attempts to resolve the crisis peacefully noting that nobody can blackmail the group.

"We believe that that the statement is coming from a politician or somebody from the board. Because everybody has a name and has a face", it concluded.

The Forum said it would not want to link attempted assassination of its Chairman, Ogie Samson on Saturday evening in Ubeji and the faceless publication, to moves by some politicians and DESOPADEC Board members and Management to frustrate their legitimate demands 

"We don't want to believe that the assassination attempt no the Chairman Engr Ogie Samson was made by the person who is trying to give fake publication against the subject matter", it added.

Ogie said in the statement that "It is not a new thing to encounter stubborn politicians who do not have the good of the people at heart using fake publications against true intentions of patriots in a nation. 

"Addressing the publication tagged by a faceless, baseless, and unlearned hungry individuals who will try to attack the honest expression of contractors shows how weak such personality already is", he added 

The Forum Chairman maintained that there is no faction in DESOPADEC Indigenous Contractors Forum stressing "We have all records of attempt made by the Forum to the Management and the Governor as regards proper payments and variation of contracts that should be done.

"Appropriate ministries can always access records of payments whatsoever made from the banks to contractors so far. If the intentions of contractors are to tarnish the image of our Governor Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, we wouldn't be writing letters to the management as a memo before now. 

"This is the first time ever, since the emergence of our governor, where contractors are planning such protest like this. Let it be known that we are not out to fight the governor or the management. We can retract the protest even now if there is honesty and fairness in addressing the subject matter. All we want is honesty. We never expect it to get to this level", Ogie said.

He noted that the demands of the contractors would have been better managed but for the threat by the Executive Director Finance and Administration, Chief Oghenekome Akpobor that "if we agitate for our payment, the Governor will frustrate our contracts. 

Secretary of DESOPADEC Indigenous Contractors Forum, Prince Charles Ebigbagha lamented that contractors were not expected to fold their arms and watch their investments suffer and members dying without expressing their problems.

"Any publication on the above subject matters should come with records and facts. When our Chairman, Engr Ogie Samson, was invited by DSS, Warri South, we attended the invitation because we remain peaceful investors, even though we understand that DSS is not the right department to pay us our money. 

"Till date, the management has not tried any possible means to pay contractors, but rather they have been keeping silence believing that they have all the power to frustrate fairness in DESOPADEC", he added.

A member of the Forum, Oghenove Tive wondered how a publication was made without a name stressing it showed that some people were extremely wicked. 

"We have records of our investments with the Governor. We are not the enemy of His Excellency Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori. We are agitating for our right said another member, Mrs Patricia Ebikeme who urged the Governor to investigate the crisis to get the truth.

"Investigation should be made amongst staffs and management, the facts are there. The only thing that can stop this peaceful protest is fairness and honesty. We pray that the governor and good people of Delta State House of Assembly will address the subject matter before the stipulated date", she added.

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