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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Can DESOPADEC make impact in Delta State? – By Charles Ikedikwa Soeze

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It is a truism to say that Delta State contributes marvelously well to the federation account through oil for the development of the entire country. I think that was why in 2006 the administration of the current governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan established the Delta State Oil producing Development Commission (DESOPADEC) to play the role of community development within the state. The big question now is, can DESOPADEC make impact in the entire Delta State or the oil producing communities within the state?

In my own opinion, it is crystal and abundantly clear that DESOPADEC has been suffering from administrative problems and lacks proper coordination probably due to the fact that we want to always appoint party loyalists to the board and also the attempt of the state government to reflect members of the board from oil producing communities irrespective of their versatility, professionalism or otherwise.

However, it is not in the best interest of the entire state, for the 13% derivation to be managed by DESOPADEC exclusively to areas with oil wells, this is because the negative impact of oil exploration activities also affect communities outside the immediate vicinities of oil wells. In other words, there should be a more liberal application of the functions of DESOPADEC in order to efficiently and effectively achieve the desired goals, especially peace and development, not a strict application limited to oil wells and tribes. If that is the case, the government slogan “Delta, we be one” is no longer relevant. It is important to point out that our communities are mixed, oil operations are extensive and include pipelines, pumping stations, other installations including administrative and housing spread around the communities in a local government area and gas flaring, oil spillage, fire outbreaks, environmental pollutions among others affect communities outside the immediate vicinities of oil wells and oil gathering points. In other words, I think it is improper to strictly use the parameters of oil wells and tribes in the allocation of development projects this is because it will bring more damage than goodwill to the peace, unity and stability of oil producing areas.

In addition, the use of public funds to develop ethnic nationalities contravenes section 7 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN) particularly subsection 2(b) (i)-(iii) and subsection 5(b). Local government areas and communities in a particular state are what government should take care of. We must therefore see DESOPADEC as interventionist agency for all communities in the state, it will be counter-productive for the agency to operate on tribal basis or on location of oil wells. No ethnic group should see DESOPADEC as exclusively constituted to provide for them, to the exclusion of other groups. I think and believe the Governor should as a matter of urgency and for the progress and development of all communities in Delta State review the parameters of the operations of the state interventionist body in order to align with one of the governor’s 3-point agenda.

For the DESOPADEC to move forward, the board members should be technocrats not based on party loyalists or from oil producing communities. This, I believe, has made DESOPADEC not to be effective. The federal character principle which late General Murtala Mohammed introduced on Monday, 20th July 1975 while addressing members of the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) which has not helped at the federal level for efficiency and effectiveness, should not be brought into the DESOPADEC board. I think the board is always having problems because of level of proper coordination and probably they see it as “come, chop and go”. This is not the best. In 2008, the Delta State House of Assembly Finance and Appropriation Committee questioned the rational behind the use of =N=51 million to renovate a house rented at a cost of =N=39 million by DESOPADEC refer to the Pointer newspaper of 4th March 2008 (front page). Many Deltans will also like to know how DESOPADEC =N=51 billion naira budget was spent.

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Oil revenue notwithstanding, Delta State is still basically an agricultural state. This is because about 70 percent of its total population is resident in the rural communities and approximately 64 percent of the working population are engaged in agriculture and related activities. That is to say farming has been and still remains the mainstay of the state economy with greater population, most of which live in the rural areas depending on it for survival.

Apart from the oil producing communities, some other communities in the state have contributed very immensely to the development and sustenance of the state as well as the country in general either through farming or donation of vast land for establishing industry, educational institutions among others.

To support my point above, Ubulu-Uku Kingdom in the present Aniocha-South Local Government Area of Delta State donated vast land to the state government to build the Delta Broadcasting Service (DBS) booster station in order to improve on the reception of the television and radio stations in all communities in the state, for the purpose of informing, educating and entertaining Deltans of government activities. Furthermore, oil was discovered in Ubulu-Uku in 1958 by Shell British Petroleum (Shell BP) now Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC). Further exploration and exploitation could not continue then due to alleged native palaver, which could not be promptly and adequately addressed. Today, the vast land is lying fallow. The people of the community known for the tapping of original palm wine and commercial farming can no longer make effective use of the said land. Such a peaceful town with dedicated and peaceable people must not be abandoned. The town should benefit from oil revenue accuring to the state.

It is abundantly clear that Ubulu-Uku was seen then as a beautiful maiden on whom everybody lavished attention and adulation. The Ubulu-Uku Kingdom in her prime was cultivated without culmination in her being brutalized and raped. Consequently, the town now nurses scores of poisoned ecology and degraded environment. Various commissions and boards in the past and present continue to treat the town shabbily. Even when the town donated vast land for the DBS booster station, the state government, sadly enough tarred the road leading to the station and abandoned the other unmotorable road leading to Isho Quarters within the town and the unmotorable road leading to the neighbouring community that is, Ubulu-Unor. This is not the best for purpose of community relations in public relations practice. I am also quite convinced that such thing cannot happen in the Delta South and Central. Many adjoining roads within these areas were tarred either by the state government or oil companies based on what they gained from such places.

In view of the fact that the entire people of Ubulu-Uku Kingdom are not restive and aggressive, that is they do not gbege should not be seen as weakness on their part. They love peace and believe in maximum cooperation. As a result, the state government should pay special attention to the development of Ubulu-Uku through relevant boards agencies, commissions or ministries.

Apart from Ubulu-Uku, there are other towns in the Delta North (Anioma) where oil is not available but the communities denied themselves of their vast land by donating such land to the government either state or federal. For example, the NYSC camp ground at Issele-Uku, because of its accessibility to all corps members coming from different parts of the country. Onicha Olona community donated vast land to the federal government for the building of Onicha Olona Teacher’s Training College, to ensure success of the Universal Free Primary Education (UPE) programme. The state government now benefit from this. The College of Education, Agbor, Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku, the various state and federal secretariats including Federal College of Education (Technical) Asaba, St. Thomas Teachers Training College Ibusa, Federal Government Girls College, Ibusa including many others. Any established board or commission should be directed to see the state as one. Carrying drugs to some hospitals and people were asked to line up for treatment because of ‘oil’ is not the best. Such drugs should be made available to all hospitals in the state. One can boldly and proudly say that the state government has tried in the health sector by upgrading some hospitals and establishing new ones as well as health centres in all nooks and crannies.

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DESOPADEC should provide facilities that are lacking in these hospitals/health centres like improve electricity and water supply, provide drugs either free or at subsidized rate for people of the state like what Petroleum Trust Fund (PTDF) did throughout the federation.

Whenever there is oil spill in these communities, it is the poor tax payers money from all communities that are used to purchase relief materials and dispatched to these communities. What it implies is that DESOPADEC operations be reviewed so that all communities in the state can benefit. If the commission (DESOPADEC) is misleading, we should think of something else. This is absolutely necessary because various communities contribute to the development of the state. There is the need for the state government to judiciously instill economic justice and consciously eliminate inequity in the provision of amenities in the various communities that make up the state.

It is generally believed that development and provision of facilities, youth empowerment among others cannot be partially rationed or selfishly enjoyed. Any attempt to restrict it will deepen the chasm between “haves” and the “haves not”. Our nemesis will be all the more catastrophic when it occurs. Nothing could be more dangerous than discrimination in the provision of facilities and economic empowerment. With proper empowerment, various communities in the state can exploit natural resources to produce goods and services for immediate consumption and for capital outlay for the benefit of our state.

By establishing DESOPADEC for the development of some communities in the state, it would appear as if the state is divided and a house divided is against itself. What DESOPADEC should do is to urgently engage in ending community projects for the benefit of all Deltans and not the cosmetic type.

However, it is human nature not to be criticized. It is also our nature to praise even while we are not too spectacular in what we do. Furthermore, to expect to be praised to the high heavens is the height of self delusion. We all must be wary of professional praise singers. This is because for a multitude of them abound. Reason dictates that we prefer well intentioned criticism to an unworthy praise, constructive criticism lifts ones performance, unworthy praises retards progress and gives a false sense of achievement. We need to beware of praise singers. For the criticism of the wise is better than the praises of self-centred people and fools.

Charles Ikedikwa Soeze, fhnr, fcida, fcai, cpae, son, emba, ksq, is a mass communication scholar from first degree to doctoral level, public affairs analyst and currently Assistant Director (Administration)/Head, Academic & Physical Planning (A&PP) of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Delta State, Nigeria. (08036724193) cherlessoeze@yahoo.ca

 

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