By Our Correspondent
Chief Amos Itihwe the Commissioner representing Ughelli South, Udu and Urhobos in Warri South LGAs in the board of DESOPADEC has urged members of the public to discountenance the allegation that the Commission spent a whooping sum of N50million to organise an end of year party for staff of the Commission.
In an interview with Chief Itihwe described the allegation as the figment of the imagination of those carrying the story.
He said as it is proper, at a point in life, to make the people around one, especially those working under an individual or in a corporate body to be happy, the maiden end of year party held by the Commission was aimed at putting smile on the faces of the workers and that was exactly what the Commission did, “no more no less”.
An online newspaper,, had alleged that the Commission spent the sum of N50million to hold an end of year party for staffs of DESOPADEC whereas the Commission has failed to pay its contractors’ debt in full.
Chief Itihwe who declined knowledge of the specifics of expenditure for the party said the management of the Commission played its leadership role by using the end of year party to interact with the staff of the Commission in order to achieve its set goals.
Believing that anybody could make any allegation he said the onus of proof rests on the newspaper and charged the author of the story to come out to the public with facts and figures about his allegation; the details of expenditure and show to the world the evidence to support his allegation (the cheques used to withdraw the money, the bank from which the money was withdrawn) and by that the public could be convinced about the allegation otherwise, “he is a liar who is misleading the public against the board of DESOPADEC”.
Informed that the author of the story is commonly described as a friend of Governor Okowa, Itihwe fumed that if the reporter is a friend of the governor why did he not just go straight to the governor and tell him so much has been done and let the governor call the management of the board to question.
“I do not believe in the source of the news and I doubt if he is truly a friend of the governor as claimed. He is a blackmailer to say the least and people like that should be excommunicated from the workings of government.”
Asked to narrate his personal experience during the party, Itihwe said, “You know I am not the partying type, I only saw people gather in numbers. The only thing that came to my mind was, are all these people part of DESOPADEC? Because you do not see them at work time, they are in the comfort of their homes and rely on the e-payment system which encourages absenteeism and some workers even abscond from duties and yet they are paid. So, when I saw the crowd the question that came to my mind which I also asked the Managing Director was, are these parts of DESOPADEC? And he laughed and said, as you saw it so I have seen it. It was a surprise sight but any way they enjoyed themselves and on our part as a board, it has created an enabling environment for us to interact, to know one another, know our shortcomings, know where we are going to and what we intend to achieve at the end of the day”.
Quizzed further if aside the lollipop any souvenir was given out to the staff that could attract some financial cost leading to near or the amount that is being alleged, Itihwe said, “I left before the end of the event and before I left there was nothing like that”.
On the buoyancy of the Commission to cater for its financial obligations following allegation that its contractors are being short paid whereas they (the Commission) have money to throw around for partying, again Itiwhe said: “the issue of short payment of contractors need not be mentioned considering the fact that the oil prices has crashed globally and that has directly affected every aspect of the Nigerian economy, DESOPADEC not an exception. So, I feel that if contractors are paid a percentage of their debt then I see it as a goodwill we have shown to them out of magnanimity from the little resources available and they should be grateful.
“I also plead in this matter for them to exercise patience, we do not intend to put any contractor into financial suffering and crisis here and there, it is the will of DESOPADEC to get projects sited, executed, completed and put to use but the situation we find ourselves we cannot guarantee that right now but I know in due time contractors will be paid.”
For the sake of the corporate image of DESOPADEC, Itihwe has this to say: “The rumour of the spending of N50million by DESOPADEC board for end of year party is the handiwork of the enemies of DESOPADEC. I want to call on the general public to discountenance any rumour that is aimed at bringing down the name of DESOPADEC.
“DESOPADEC is an intervention agency that is established to take care of the needs of the oil producing communities and that is exactly what we are doing. We are not doing anything short of that more so, we are keying into the prosperity agenda of the governor of Delta State and we do hope that we do not fail in our responsibility to him
So, I am asking the general public to know that all these rumourmongers are trying to cause confusion among our people which shouldn’t be. If you hear such rumours discountenance them and see DESOPADEC as an agency that assists the life and aspirations of the people and with that we can do better rather than engaging in rumour mongering and carrying stories that are unfounded.” Itihwe said.
