TVC E. Aggieved Urhobo indigenes on the aegis of Host Communities, Oil and Gas, HOSTCOM, few days ago, stormed and barricaded Delta State Government House, demanding the sack of Managing Director of the State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Chief William Makinde and three Urhobo commissioners serving in the board.
This came as the state government warned contractors handling its projects that it would not pay for poorly executed contracts. The protesters, who arrived Government House at about 12:30pm, barricaded the Government House gate with over 20 buses, preventing vehicular movement in and out of the premises.
Chanting songs of disenchantment, they named the three commissioners to include Mr Jonathan Amitaye, Chief Pius Ovbije and Chief Amos Itihwe. They displayed placards with inscriptions such as ‘Makinde must go’, ‘Amitaye must go’, accusing the Urhobo representatives on the board of not using the commission’s fund to the advantage of the people.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, chairman of the Urhobo ethnic nationality chapter of HOSTCOM, Mr. Godspower Okovwurie, alleged that their representatives were working for personal gains and not the interest of the communities. At the time of filing this report, the protesters, represented by 15 persons, were meeting with the Chief of Staff, Government House, Mr Tam Brisibe. PROTEST: Members of Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas, HOSTCOM, Urhobo ethnic nationality chapter, protesting at the entrance to Government House, Asaba, yesterday.
In his reaction, the Commissioner representing Ughelli South, Udu, Uvwie and Urhobo in Warri, Chief Amos Itihwe, described the allegations as unfounded and baseless.
Warning against shoddy jobs, Commissioner for Works, Chief James Augoye, while inspecting ongoing road projects in Warri, Uvwie, Effurun, Ughelli and Isoko Local Government Areas, insisted that all projects must be completed, according to specifications. Augoye said the Okowa administration was poised to provide sustainable road networks in the state, noting that “we will therefore not condone shabby jobs.”
He ordered the contracting firm handling the Ugbolokposo-Alegbo Road in Uvwie Local Government Area to repair the failed portions and expand the drainage “to discharge into a natural water way.” While maintaining that the state government had commissioned various authorities to supervise road projects, Augoye condemned the alleged hostility to the contracting firm handling the rehabilitation and overlay of the 8.7 kilometres Ozoro/Oleh Road in Isoko North Local Government Area.
He was also at the rehabilitation of PTI -Jakpa Road, Effurun Market, the 1.1 kilometer Okpe- Olomu road in Ughelli South and the rehabilitation of the NPA by-pass starting from the new port to the old port gate in Warri South Local Government Area where he explained that a soil test was done before embarking on the concrete pavement choice of road.
