By Tejiri Ebikeme
The people of Udu Local Government Area of Delta state have applauded the member representing Udu, Uvwie, Ughelli South and Urhobos in Warri South in the board of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Chief Amos Itihwe, for bringing the commission close to them.
Speaking to our correspondent in Warri, the Chairman, Host Communities Producing Oil and Gas, (HOSTCOM), Udu Chapter, Bro. Peter Eferurhobo said Chief Itihwe is the first person to make them know that the council has a representative in the commission since it’s creation.
He said: ” All along we have been clamouring that one of our sons should be among the board members and thank God today we have our own son, Chief Amos Itihwe. Since he came into the board barely few months ago, we are beginning to feel the impact of the board, especially citing the zonal office in our local government area, Ujevwie. Now we have full access to our son who is member in board of DESOPADEC.”
While commending Chief Itihwe for maintaining the Ubogo/Ogbe-udu roads which he said have almost cut off the communities from the rest of the world, Eferurhobo appealed to him to use his office as a member of the Board of DESOPADEC to also compete the Ukpiovwin/Oghior road that has been abandoned by previous administration.
He said “I want to use this medium to thank the commissioner for the maintenance of the road that leads to Ubogo/Ogbe-udu. That road was almost cut off because of its swampy nature. But right now Chief ITunes has been able to maintain the road.
“We the members of HOSTCOM have a priority project which we want him to look at. We want him to complete the Ukpiovwin/Oghior road projects. These road leads to two major oil producing communities in Udu Local Government Area. The work has been started but it has now been abandoned. I want him (Itihwe) to make effort to complete that road for us because it is a priority project for us in Udu.”
“I want to also say that I am impressed with what he has been able to do in such a short time and I want to urge him to do more,” he added.
Continuing Eferurhobo said: “I want to state here that since the inception of the commission; we the oil bearing communities in Udu local government area have never felt the impact of the commission in our area. The oil bearing communities in Udu road which are Emaraja, Ubogo, Ukpiovwin, Otor-Udu and Oghior do not feel the impact of the commission since its inception. But now that Chief Itihwe is there and with what I have seen him doing so far, I believe that we are going to feel the impact of DESOPADEC.
“Before now we only used to hear the name, DESOPADEC but nothing has been happening in our communities. But today we thank God for giving us Chief Itihwe, who I believe will turn-around the communities for us.”
