HOSTCOM Chieftain Faults Bill To Scrap Delta Oil Commission

Former Delta Central chairman of Host Communities of Nigeria oil and gas (HOSTCOM), Delta state, Chief Moses Irimisose, has faulted the new bill being sponsored by the state government to scrap Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (DESOPADEC).

Irimisose, also criticised Chief Wellington Okirika, former chairman of Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (DESOPADEC), for supporting the bill to scrap the commission.

Speaking to Daily Times, Irimisose, said “Okirika has betrayed the host communities for whatever reason best known to him because, if he now thinks the bill was right so what stop him from implementing it when he was chairman of DESOPADEC under Uduaghan’s government”.

He said that Okirika’s claim that DESOPADEC was an interim arrangement was wrong, noting that Edo, Ondo, Rivers and others were not operating same commission as an interim arrangement as wrongly claimed by Okirika.

In his words: “Okirika was aware that DESOPADEC since it was established, has not been getting the approved 50% of the 13% derivation adequately provided by the law, he never fought against it, so the issues now should be where are the unremitted funds and not any deceitful reformation to protect the interest of an individual.”

He, however, thanked the Delta State House of Assembly for not passing the bill, which is completely the collective interests of host communities in Delta state.