DESOPADEC: PROTESTS ARE IIL-MOTIVATED-ARPP

The Association of Registered Political Parties (ARPP) in Delta State has sharply criticized the wave of media and street protests against the management and board of the Delta State Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) by some stakeholders, particularly the Host communities (Hostcom).

It described all such protests as ill-motivated and diversionary, and targeted at the administration of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa.

The Association said that it was regrettable that the wave of protests had worsened since the inauguration of the Okowa administration, which it said, had done much to reinvigorate DEOPADEC for enhanced efficiency.

Making its position known in a press statement signed on its behalf by Pastor (Comrade) David Ashikodi (Chairman); Comrade (Surveyor) Mark Egoro (Secretary) and Hon. Lordson Ewhubareh (Publicity Secretary, the Association said the distractive protests against the DESOPADEC leadership and, by extension, the OKowa administration, was a decoy to deflect positive public opinion of the administration which, it said, had made impressive infrastructure gains, provided quality services and regularly met its obligations to its employees, in spite on the inclement financial situation.

While stressing that there was no wisdom in the alleged efforts of the protesters to hold both the administration and the current management of DESOPADEC liable for the alleged shortcomings of the past, the association held that “the current leadership of DESOPADEC are men with ideological orientation and mental disposition to liberate the agency from labyrinth of decadence and darkness to the path of progress and enlightenment.”

According to the group, while the Okowa administration is strident on its focus to continue to delver services to the public, in spite of the efforts to distract him, the new leadership of DESOPADEC was “bent in positioning the agency for effective service delivery and they are further poised to deliver democracy dividends to the people in line with the SMART Agenda of Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration.”

It stressed that “since they came on board, they have done very well within the limit of resources available to their disposal. All they need from host communities (hostcoms) is support and dialogue in resolving issues bordering on differences.”