By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Independent News ExpressIndependent News Express
  • Home
  • International
    InternationalShow More
    UN Secretary-General Launches Report To Break “The Cycle Of Debt Distress”
    3 days ago
    Israel-Iran War: South Africa Wants United Nations To Step In
    1 week ago
    G7 finance leaders seek non-tariff consensus in Canada, may face US pushback
    Ahead G7 Summit, Finance Ministers Seek Non-tariff Consensus In Canada, May Face US Pushback
    1 month ago
    Over 28,000 Women And Girls Killed In Gaza Since October 2023
    1 month ago
    Global Aid Cut
    New Report Reveals How Global Aid Cuts Affecting Women’s Organisations Aiding Women In Crises
    2 months ago
  • Africa
    Africa
    Show More
    Top News
    Burkina Faso: UN Calls For Immediate Release Of 50 Kidnapped Women
    2 years ago
    Hunger, Diseases, Insecurity Threaten Life In Horn of Africa, As ‘129,000 Looking Death In The Eyes’
    2 years ago
    Niger Coup: PeacePro Urges AU, ECOWAS To End Foreign Military Presence In Africa Within 24 Months
    2 years ago
    Latest News
    Ooni’s Wife, Olori Temitope Enitan-Ogunwusi Takes Ile Ife Royalty To ADWIN Launch In Cote d’Ivoire
    3 weeks ago
    Independent UN Body Finds Systemic Racism Against Africans And People Of African Descent
    3 weeks ago
    Public Exit: Why South Africa Businesses Are Moving To Private Cloud
    4 weeks ago
    Cameroon Tops List Of World’s Most Neglected Displacement Crises
    4 weeks ago
  • Corporate News
    • Media Outreach
  • Politics
    Politics
    Show More
    Top News
    Imo Traditional Rulers Honour Buhari With ‘Friend In Diaspora’ Title
    2 years ago
    36 Lion FC Congratulate Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu
    2 years ago
    Tinubu To New Ministers: You’re To Serve The Nation, Not Your Regions Or States
    2 years ago
    Latest News
    Lagos LG Poll: Tunde Disco/Ganiyu Obasa Intensify Campaign In Agege
    4 days ago
    PHOTOS: Vinod Obasa Joins Other Lagos APC LG Candidates At Sanwo-Olu’s Reception
    6 days ago
    Lagos Lawmaker Praises Tinubu For Helping Nigeria Breathe Again
    3 weeks ago
    LG Election: Stakeholders Appeal To APC Not To Allow Chairmen Run For 3rd term
    2 months ago
  • News
    • Agriculture
    • Breaking News
    • Tech
    • Maritime
    • Crime
    • Art & Culture
    News
    Show More
    Top News
    Celebration Of Life: Reverend Adewumi Jegede Of Later House Of God Assembly Buried Amid Pomp
    1 year ago
    Pa Abdulfatah Amoo Ayanwale
    Pa Ayanwale Dies At 76, Fidau Prayers Holds 8 August
    2 years ago
    Ondo Governor, Akeredolu Begins Construction Of First Flyover In Akure
    2 years ago
    Latest News
    2025 World Drug Day: CIKDAS, Flour Mills, Planet Bottling Company Partner To Combat Drug Abuse Amongst Youths
    10 hours ago
    D2D Satellite Comms: Nigeria’s Space Research Agency Signs MoU With Chinese Firm, Galaxy Space
    2 weeks ago
    Substance Use Prevention In Focus As NDLEA, UNODC Unveil 2025 World Drug Day Activities
    2 weeks ago
    Benue: Stop the Killings, CAPPA Demands Immediate Action
    2 weeks ago
  • Entertainment
    • Comedy
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Television
    • Concert & Events
    Entertainment
    Show More
    Top News
    Holiday Vibes Continue On GOtv This January
    2 years ago
    Xpression With CDO Campus Tour Rocks OAU, Plans To Hit Over 50 Varsity Campuses 
    2 years ago
    Burna Boy Emerges First African Artiste To Hit 1 Billion Audiomack Streams
    2 years ago
    Latest News
    The Drama Returns As BBNaija ‘No Loose Guard’ Reunion Premieres June 23
    1 week ago
    You Can’t Fake it — James Omekwe On MultiChoice’s Impact On African Filmmaking
    3 weeks ago
    Jkenova and Ellacentric Exit Nigerian Idol Season 10 In Emotional Farewell
    3 weeks ago
    MultiChoice Africa x African Storytelling: How Local Content Shapes Local Culture
    4 weeks ago
  • Lifestyle
    • Fashion
    • Love & Life
    • Food & Drink
    • Travel & Tourism
    • Relationship
    • Sex
    Lifestyle
    Show More
    Top News
    ZEN Opens Second Studio In Lagos
    8 months ago
    Christmas: Obasa Congratulates Christians, Urges Love Among Nigerians
    2 years ago
    Noble Call to Service: Inside the Induction of 104 New Knights of St. Mulumba
    2 weeks ago
    Latest News
    Noble Call to Service: Inside the Induction of 104 New Knights of St. Mulumba
    2 weeks ago
    Joining The Knighthood Brings You Closer To God -Sir Eva Njemanze
    2 weeks ago
    Africa Tech Festival Unveils Strategic Themes For 2025 Event,
    3 weeks ago
    Lagos SWAN Joins UN To Celebrate World Nutrition Month At Unilag Confab
    1 month ago
  • Business
    • Banking & Finance
    • Oil & Gas
    BusinessShow More
    NNPCL Board Accused Of Planning Lavish Party In Rwanda Amidst N210tn Financial Scandal
    2 weeks ago
    Can the African Energy Bank Transform the Continent’s Refining and Downstream Future?
    3 weeks ago
    Lagos Will Continue To Lead Initiatives That Accelerate Economic Diversification – Sanwo-Olu
    1 month ago
    Afreximbank
    Afreximbank Reports Strong Performance For Q1 2025 In Line With expectations
    1 month ago
    Pan-African Payment & Settlement System
    Nigeria Unlocks Intra-African Trade With New Pan-African Payment & Settlement System Policy Boost
    2 months ago
  • Health
    Health
    Show More
    Top News
    WHO Wants More Action To End ‘Cycles Of Poverty And Stigma’ Related To Tropical Diseases
    2 years ago
    Dakar Declaration: WHO Moves To Save Lives Through Road Crash In Africa
    2 years ago
    Loneliness Linked With Elevated Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease In Patients With Diabetes
    2 years ago
    Latest News
    Online Education Can Enhance Clinical Guideline Use By Over 50% 
    2 weeks ago
    The Hidden Lifeline – Blood Security And Africa’s Health Agenda By Dr Allan Pamba
    3 weeks ago
    Apepa or Arterial Blockage? The Urgency of Self-Care After 45 By Babafemi Ojudu
    4 weeks ago
    Roche Launches Diagnostics Operations In Nigeria,
    4 weeks ago
  • More
    • Sports
    • Aviation/Transportation
    • Deliverance Hour
    • Industry & Labour
    • Insurance
    • Interview
    • Judiciary
    • Metro
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Religious
    • Romance
    • Science & Discovery
Reading: DESOPADEC Under Gov Okowa: A Touch Of Excellence With Askia
Share
Notification Show More
Aa
Independent News ExpressIndependent News Express
Aa
  • Home
  • International
  • Africa
  • Corporate News
  • Politics
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Business
  • Health
  • More
Search
  • Home
  • International
  • Africa
  • Corporate News
    • Media Outreach
  • Politics
  • News
    • Agriculture
    • Breaking News
    • Tech
    • Maritime
    • Crime
    • Art & Culture
  • Entertainment
    • Comedy
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Television
    • Concert & Events
  • Lifestyle
    • Fashion
    • Love & Life
    • Food & Drink
    • Travel & Tourism
    • Relationship
    • Sex
  • Business
    • Banking & Finance
    • Oil & Gas
  • Health
  • More
    • Sports
    • Aviation/Transportation
    • Deliverance Hour
    • Industry & Labour
    • Insurance
    • Interview
    • Judiciary
    • Metro
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Religious
    • Romance
    • Science & Discovery
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • Advertise
© 2022 Foxiz News Network. Ruby Design Company. All Rights Reserved.
Independent News Express > Blog > Business > DESOPADEC Under Gov Okowa: A Touch Of Excellence With Askia
BusinessOil & Gas

DESOPADEC Under Gov Okowa: A Touch Of Excellence With Askia

Last updated: 2023/05/28 at 7:04 AM
2 years ago
Share
SHARE

BY FRED EDOREH

The inauguration of the new board of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, on Friday, May 26, turned out a carnival of sorts. Deltans from all the host communities thronged the Government House, Asaba, to welcome and celebrate the new members.

Many testified that their interest in DESOPADEC was because of how the immediate past board and management, guided by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s vision, redirected and drove the agency to impact on the social and economic development of the stakeholder communities through the delivery on various infrastructure and social amenities, from roads, bridges and jetties, to educational, health and housing facilities, security, human capital development and much more, giving fresh meaning to the establishment of the interventionist agency

- Advertisement -
Ad imageAd image

Central to the excellent performance was Bashorun Askia Ogieh, the Udu of Isoko Nation, who was Managing Director in the Michael Diden pace-setting board and later retained on extension still as Managing and Chief Executive Officer.

Unarguably steering the agency into the most innovative and impactful across Nigeria, it was such that sister agencies of various other oil producing states came to borrow leaves from the Askia-led management.

When the national Civil Rights Community came on an inspection tour of its projects in late 2022, their members had an interesting debate on which sector they thought the management did best.

Pointing at the construction and upgrade of facilities in both primary, secondary and tertiary institutions, some of them argued that the magic was more in education. The educational projects are in hundreds, but many would not forget the Ogulagha Model Secondary School, a state-of-the-art boarding affair which compares strongly with the bests in the world.

Bashorun Askia Ogieh JP, immediate past Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, DESOPADEC

Others picked on health, pointing at the construction, refurbishment and equipment of various health institutions in the host communities. They were especially awed at the full option Cottage Hospital at Okibo Zion.

The Askia management made the healthiest’ argument more compelling with the procurement and distribution of complete sets of medical and health delivery equipment to all 168 Primary Health Care Centres in the state in January 2023.

Some others picked housing, pointing at the construction of Civic Centres across major towns of the ethnic nations, but what stood out more for many was the ambitious development of the twin towns of Oboghoro and Utonlinla in Warri North, sand-claimed from the Benin River and complete with jetties, housing schemes, electricity plants and street lighting, water treatment plants, fully equipped health centre with doctors and nurses quarters, primary schools, a full boarding secondary school and a long concrete driveway with pedestrian bridges connecting Ogheye-Demigun, Oboghoro and Utonlinla communities.

Yet others picked on the extensive network of DESOPADEC roads, bridges and drainages too numerous to list across Urhobo, Ijaw, Itsekiri, Isoko, Ndokwa and Ika nations.

There are those who focused their judgement on DESOPADEC’s delivery in the development of agriculture and commerce, pointing to the support for farmers and traders and the construction of markets.

Many applauded the swift response of DESOPADEC in the evacuation and care of Deltans affected by the great flood of 2022. Not only did the agency proactively embark on the de-silting of drainages and clearing of water channels to mitigate the impact of the flood, it set up care centres for displaced persons across the oil producing areas and supported them with cash for resettlement on their return to their homes.

While DESOPADEC staffers take pride in these performances, their joy is more in the motivational and physical upgrade of their working environment, especially the completion of DESOPADEC Corporate Headquarters, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa Tower, in Warri, which eased inter-departmental relations; the regime of training and retraining of staff; and support for advancement in professional careers as hallmarked in the several awards and recognitions conferred on many of the staff by various professional bodies.

My take however is the investment of DESOPADEC on Waterways Security and peace building through the engagement of the youth in the protection of oil installations. Not many knew about this commitment by which Delta recovered operational stability in crude oil production and its prime place in revenue derivation.

Interestingly, at the inauguration of the new board, Governor Okowa, a champion and advocate of entrepreneurial empowerment and jobs creation, made a different and insightful pick. His choice was the establishment of the DESOPADEC Skills Academy which he wants sustained.

Commending the immediate past board for the initiative, he declared with all emphasis: “The icing on the cake for me was the establishment of the DESOPADEC Skills Academy, in line with the administration’s youth entrepreneurship development programmes. Through the Academy, the agency was able to train and empower many of our youths to become self-employed and wealth creators.”

Indeed, DESOPADEC keyed in on the vision for human capital development through the upscaling of skills acquisition, empowerment and high-end business development for youth and women, to raise an army of entrepreneurs towards revolutionising the socio-economic landscape of the oil communities.

Their strategy was dynamic just as the outcomes have been immediately impactful and continuing.

In the short time of its introduction, the Academy has graduated and empowered over 500 persons in three batches with the fourth batch currently in session while the feedback on the performance of the Alumni is tremendously inspiring.

Most assuring for its continuity is that the incoming Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, has been a witness and a partaker in the delivery.

He was at the matriculation of the fourth batch and, impressed by what he knew and what he saw, he pledged that not only would the Academy be sustained, but its intake would also be increased and the volume and value of their starter packs would be upscaled. This speaks to his agenda of MORE.

Governor Okowa was also impressed with the communication strategies of the agency. While he advised on their sustenance, he further urged the new board to maintain the collective exchange with host communities and critical stakeholders on needs assessment and determination of projects.

Reassuringly, the new board has a clear template and would not waste time in search of direction. As Okowa put it, it is a blend of youth, experience, grassroots politicians, technocrats and persons who readily believe in the vision for the development of Delta State.

This is demonstrated in the fact that Chief John Nani, the former Executive Director, Finance and Administration, was a contributor to the development initiatives and innovations of the Askia management and now returns as the Chairman of the board.

The new DESOPADEC team is made even stronger with the appointment of Hon Festus Ochonogor from Ndokwa/Ukwuani nation as Managing Director. While the appointment speaks to equity in the involvement of stakeholder groups in the management of the commonwealth, Ochonogor as former Commissioner for Housing comes with a niche of expertise and wealth of experience in projects management, quantification, cost management and procurement, and a deep understanding of the yearnings of the people and the politics of grassroots development in a multiplicity and diversity of stakeholders.

You Might Also Like

NNPCL Board Accused Of Planning Lavish Party In Rwanda Amidst N210tn Financial Scandal

Can the African Energy Bank Transform the Continent’s Refining and Downstream Future?

Lagos Will Continue To Lead Initiatives That Accelerate Economic Diversification – Sanwo-Olu

Afreximbank Reports Strong Performance For Q1 2025 In Line With expectations

Nigeria Unlocks Intra-African Trade With New Pan-African Payment & Settlement System Policy Boost

TAGGED: DESOPADEC
INadminNG May 28, 2023 May 28, 2023
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Whatsapp LinkedIn Telegram Email Print
Previous Article Canada Announces Extension Of Work Permit For Spouses Of Nigerian Students
Next Article Inauguration: PCN Congratulates Tinubu, Wants Increase Funding For Paralympians
about us

Independent News Express (iNews Express), a publication of 4Ds Nigeria Limited, is birthed out of the desires of the founding fathers to report News as it is.

We value Professionalism, Excellence, Service, Creativity and Integrity.

The Company

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy & Policy

Quick Links

  • Advertise with us
  • Newsletters
  • Deal

Categories

Find Us on Socials

© Independent News Express. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?