Ignore Self Acclaimed Ijaw Contractors' Forum, DESOPADEC Contractors tell  Oborevwori

Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) Contractors Forum, has urged Delta State Governor, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori and the Board of the Commission to ignore some self acclaimed Ijaw Ethnic Nationality Contractors Forum undermining the interventionist agency .

Chairman of the Forum, Engr. Ogie Samson, in a statement issued yesterday said DESOPADEC Contractors Forum comprises of all contractors of ethnic groups noting that there was no group such as DESOPADEC Ijaw Ethnic Nationality Contractors Forum.

Samson was reacting to a publication by a group claiming to be DESOPADEC Ijaw Ethnic Nationality Contractors Forum berating the Commission's board over non payment for contracts and issuance of a 6-point demands.

He said the signatories to the publication were not known to the DESOPADEC Contractors Forum and had no rights to claims of non payment for jobs that were not verified either by the board or the Forum.

"DESOPADEC Indigenous Contractors Forum is reacting to an inappropriate publication by some persons over claiming non payment of said named contractors. 

"It is a clear fact that DESOPADEC Indigenous Contractors Forum comprises of all oil producing areas ethnic nationalities or indigenes who are contractors in DESOPADEC, and it should also come to the notice of His Excellency, Rt. Honourable Sheriff Oborevwori, the amiable governor of Delta state that payments goes to all ethnic nationalities involved in our forum", he added.

Samson noted that though his members were hopping for better payments but maintained that the signatories to the publication and letter in the subject matter were not known to be neither executives of DESOPADEC Indigenous Contractors Forum. 

"Whatever claims they are making is made out of self benefits and should not be acknowledged. You don't just wake up out of the blue, break out of a forum that you were never part of and create a forum as if people in DESOPADEC are not educated to understand what forgery is", he added.

Samson gave names of the ethnic nationalities representatives in the forum as Chairman of DESOPADEC Indigenous Contractors, Engr Ogie Samson (itsekiri representatives); Secretary, Prince Charles Ebigbagha (ijaw representative); PRO, Hon Patrick Oghenemu (Representing isoko) Mr Henry Ugboriata and many other members.

He said the forum has been having harmonious dialogues with the Chief Executive Director, SOS, Chief Favour Zuokumo and Hon. Spencer Okpoye, who were ijaw representatives in DESOPADEC as management team.

Samson acknowledged that payments were being made to DESOPADEC contractors across the five ethnic nationalities and NOT as been speculated.

"Recently the Executive Director Social Service, Chief Favour Zuokumo and Commissioner representing ijaw ethnic nationalities Hon Spencer Okpoye had a robust meeting with the Forum Excos and members, so we are surprised at these publication", he said.

Samson maintained that the relationship between the management of DESOPADEC and the indigenous contractors forum is intact with payments made monthly, though there were challenges and demands brought before the management which were yet to be considered

The DESOPADEC Contractors Forum Chairman however appealed to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to release funds to the interventionist agency to enable it meet it's obligations to it's members.

"We want to use this medium to appeal to His Excellency Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, the Governor of Delta State for release of funds to accommodate the already accrued debt burden of the Commission owed to contractors", he added.

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