Members of the Delta State House of Assembly and all other government agents have been urged to steer clear of the 50 percent of the 13 percent oil derivation fund allocated to the oil producing communities in Delta State.
Chief Moses Irimosose, HOSTCOM Chairman for the Urhobo nation made the the call in an interview during the occasion of a civic reception held in honour of Chief Chris Emaye-Obiuwevbi, Commissioner representing Ughelli North and Ethiope East LGAs in the Board of DESOPADEC by indigenes of Orogun oil producing communities recently.
Chief Irimisose alleged that government officials have been showing interest in the budget of the 13 percent oil derivation fund allocated to DESOPADEC making it difficult for the Commission to effectively carry out development of the oil producing communities.
“Government agencies or whatever you call yourself should not come down from their Ivory Tower and struggle with the suffering masses for what is meant for the development of the people. For now we can tolerate them but a time is coming when the people will say no and when they say no, the peace and security agenda of the governor may be eroded.
He said the people have confidence in the ability of DESOPADEC to manage the fund allocated to it for the development of the host communities and picked holes with the agitation of Chief Wellington Okrika led group that is agitating for direct control of the fund by the oil producing communities.
For him, if the fund is paid directly to the oil producing communities the resultant chaos and violence that will follow may not be contained and that “so long government has identified DESOPADEC as the organ to manage the fund, it is sufficient to let it be so and when DESOPADEC fails, we the people can hold them directly responsible.”