Ogheneruona Tejiri, Warri
Contractors handling Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) projects have called on the state government to allow variations of their contracts to demonstrate fairness.
This call was made by Engr. Samson Ogie, Chairman, DESOPADEC Indigenous Contractors Forum during the body’s Thanksgiving/End of Year party at Jeddo, Okpe Local Government Area of the State.
They hinged their stance on the depreciating value of naira and continued delay in adequate funding of project’s by previous administrators of the commission.
Engr. Ogie said that members were facing serious challenges in the execution of projects due to astronomical increase in prices of materials and stressed the need for the Commission to allow for review of contracts.
Engr. Ogie noted, “we, indigenous contractors are pleading with the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) to allow for contract variations where cogent and verifiable reasons are adduced because of inflation, since the Commission is owing contractors heavily”.
Although, Engr. Ogie said that the Forum had received some favorable response, he however urged the management of the Commission to keep to promise as from January next year.
The Forum chairman noted that no union or association enjoys using protests to press home genuine demands when the system works seamlessly.
He expressed his appreciation to Chief Festus Ochonogor, Managing Director of DESOPADEC and Chief Oghenekome Okpomor, Executive Director, Finance and Administration for their urgent response to the Forum’s complaints unlike before.
Engr. Ogie assured management of the Commission of mutual relationships in the coming year, all in an effort to hasten the development of the host communities inline with the mandate of the agency.
He commended the state Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori for his sterling performance since he assumed office in less than a year expressing confidence that he will not disappoint the people of the state.
The forum chairman however urged him to deploy more funds to DESOPADEC to enable the Commission bring the expected development to the oil producing areas inline with it’s mandate.
Highlight of the event was a Thanksgiving service held at Dunamis International Centre, Warri Centre along NPA Expressway where Engr. Ogie said the service was designed to appreciate God by indigenous contractors.
