Angry Itsekiri People Ground Activities At DESOPADEC

By Amos Igbebe
Activities of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) were, yesterday, grounded by the Itsekiri people following the expiration of a 7 day ultimatum over an allegation of marginalization by the commission.
The Itsekiri people, through a group, had earlier threatened to shut down DESOPADEC if their demands were not met by the commission at the expiration of the ultimatum.
Reacting on the development, Special Assistant on Media to the Managing Director of DESOPADEC, Dr Prince Orhomonokpaye, condemned the shutting down of the commission, stating that the board was just two months old and need time to settle down in solving issues in order to ensure that all oil producing communities benefit positively from the commission.
While urging the warring Itsekiri faction to sheathe their swords and embrace peace which is the only way to even development and not instigating crisis in Delta state, the SA appealed to the Itsekiri leaders of thoughts to call their sons to order, noting that it is better to jaw-jaw than to war-war as united Deltans.
When contacted, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Usman Alkali, stated that his men swung into action immediately they heard the news, noting that they are on top gear to ensure that DESOPADEC office  is reopen immediately and those who invaded the placed illegally be arrested to face the law.
But another group of Urhobo youths had said that the threat was of no importance maintaining that if there is any ethnic group that should cry of unfair, inequitable treatment and marginalization, it was not the people of Itsekiri nation, an ethnic group that produced the immediate past Executive Chairman of the commission.