By THE Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) has not been deprived of its entitled fund allocations under the leadership of the state governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori.
The Director-General of the Delta State Bureau for Orientation and Communications, Dr. Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, made this clarification on Sunday while debunking claims by a social media commentator, Chief Zik Gbemre, that DESOPADEC was being underfunded by the state government.
He dismissed Gbemre’s allegations as unfounded, unwarranted, and devoid of constructive criticism, noting that DESOPADEC has been adequately funded and efficiently managed by seasoned bureaucrats and professionals under the Oborevwori administration.
Oghenesivbe explained that the ₦8.4 billion debt defrayed by the governor, which Gbemre referred to, represented debts owed to contractors of the Commission by previous administrations.
According to him, the state government did nothing wrong in disclosing that the funds had been released to resolve the long-standing debt crisis between the Commission and its contractors. He added that it was only fair for any responsible and right-thinking Deltan to commend the governor for taking proactive steps to address an inherited problem.
Dr. Oghenesivbe assured that Governor Oborevwori’s transformational leadership would continue to positively impact all sectors of the state’s economy, resolving grey areas that pose threats to good governance in line with the Federal and State Governments’ Renewed Hope and MORE Agenda.
He described Oborevwori as a compassionate leader who is fully committed to correcting past wrongs, setting new standards, and ensuring a significant paradigm shift from bureaucratic bottlenecks to a progressive flow of ideas, with performance measured by the attainment of government objectives.
Oghenesivbe urged Chief Gbemre to ensure his criticisms are properly situated and fact-based to avoid spreading falsehoods, half-truths, and misleading information capable of criminally inciting the public. He pointed out that there are laws in place to check and sanction offences relating to character assassination, cyberstalking, libel, and defamation.
“It has become crystal clear that Chief Zik Gbemre is not situating his criticism correctly and appropriately. This is not good for his image and public reputation.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori did nothing wrong by defraying the inherited debts of DESOPADEC. That is exactly what is expected of a transformational leader.
The governor’s intervention is commendable and was not intended to attract praise but to inform Deltans that a lingering debt crisis of ₦8.4 billion between DESOPADEC and its contractors has been resolved. This move reflects good governance, and it is only fair for any right-thinking Deltan to commend the governor for a job well done.
Chief Gbemre’s claims are unfounded and misleading. The general public, especially Deltans, should therefore disregard his unwarranted outburst and unprovoked attacks,” Oghenesivbe said.
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