Okowa inaugurates new DESOPADEC board

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, on Wednesday in Asaba, inaugurated the new 15-member Governing Board of the Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (DESOPADEC).

The new DESOPADEC board members include Michael Diden (Chairman), Askia Ogieh (Managing Director), Lucky Agediga, John Nani, Daniel Mayuku and Leonard Anoka (Executive Directors).

Other members are Giftson Omatsuli, Paul Oweh, Kent Okiemute, Joyce Overah, Anslem Nwokenye, Paul Bebenimibo, Ikechukwu Akazor, Vincent Oyibode and Ochonogor Samuel.

Mr Okowa charged the board to embark on rigorous planning and stringent project execution, adopting a bottom-up approach to meet the dire developmental needs of the oil bearing communities of Delta.

He urged the board to be all inclusive in carrying out its developmental projects across the state and ensure greater efficiency in service delivery.

“Upon assumption of office in 2015, I made it a priority to strengthen the corporate governance structure of DESOPADEC for greater efficiency and better service delivery.

“As an interventionist agency, a lot is required from it to complement the efforts of the state government to achieve inclusive development, poverty reduction as well as peace and security in the oil bearing communities.

“In my first tenure, I commissioned notable infrastructural projects executed by DESOPADEC which were in tandem with the expectations of the host communities.

“However, there is still much to be done; many if our oil-bearing communities are suffering from environmental plight, infrastructure decay and near absence of social amenities.

“Our people deserve better life and I charge the new board to work with a renewed sense of urgency; I expect the narratives in our riverine immunities to be completely different from what they are today,” Mr Okowa said.

He also inaugurated the Delta State Local Government Service Commission with Joseph Otirhue as Chairman and Chukwuka Greatman, Katherine Ikoko and Rose Asore as members.

The governor further swore in the new Auditor-General of the state, Paul Aghanenu.

He charged the local government service commission to ensure that its actions and decisions were guided by extant rules and regulation and it gave serious attention to staff training and development.

Mr Okowa urged the new auditor-general to justify the confidence reposed in him by ensuring that governance and management systems were properly aligned with best and modern audit practices.

Responding, Messrs Ogieh, Otirhue and Aghanenu, on behalf of others, thanked God for the appointments and appreciated the governor for finding them worthy to serve.

They pledged to deliver services with fairness and equity as well as adopt best practices to ensure speedy and even development across the state.