Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has commended the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for commencing the reconstruction of considerable 15.4-kilometre failed portion of Benin-Sapele Expressway, describing the intervention as a major boost to connectivity, economic activities and the wellbeing of residents in the state and motorists.

Oborevwori gave the commendation on Friday at the flag-off of the reconstruction project at Amukpe Roundabout, Sapele, Delta State.

The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, said the intervention underscored the importance of collaboration among governments and agencies in tackling infrastructure challenges across the Niger Delta.

Aniagwu said the state government had also intervened in several federal road corridors in Delta State because the ultimate beneficiaries were Deltans, irrespective of whether such roads fell under federal or state jurisdiction.

According to him, the state government had constructed more than five kilometres of rigid-pavement dual carriageway along the Warri axis, while bridges and flyovers had also been constructed along federal road corridors, including at Otovwodo Junction, DSC Roundabout, PTI Junction and Enerhen Roundabout and Uromi Junction, Agbor.

“We don’t differentiate,” Aniagwu said, stressing that the state government had spent over N300 billion on federal corridors to make them motorable and reduce the hardship faced by road users.

He described the NDDC intervention on the Benin-Sapele corridor as a welcome development, saying that when completed, it would ease transportation and contribute to the economic growth of Delta State and indeed other states on the East West corridor.

The commissioner appealed to residents and other stakeholders to cooperate with the contractors to ensure timely completion of the project.

Aniagwu also urged residents to desist from vandalising critical infrastructure, citing the recent discovery of damaged components on the First Niger Bridge.

He warned that the removal of components from the First Niger Bridge could compromise its structural integrity and endanger road users.

Chairman of the NDDC Governing Board, Mr Chiedu Ebie, said the commission commenced the reconstruction following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to address the hardship being experienced by motorists and other road users along the corridor.

Ebie said the commission was determined to complete the project and bring relief to commuters who had endured prolonged delays and difficult travelling conditions on the road.

He assured residents that two contractors would be deployed to work from opposite ends of the project to accelerate completion.

According to him, the Benin-Sapele Expressway is not merely a regional road but a critical national economic corridor linking the South-South with other parts of the country.

He disclosed that the NDDC had also taken steps to terminate and re-award the contract for the Abraka-Obiaruku-Abavo-Agbor Road following challenges encountered by the previous contractor.

NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, apologised to residents, community leaders and commuters for the hardship caused by the deplorable condition of the road, assuring them that relief was on the way.

Ogbuku said the intervention followed a directive from President Tinubu after the President saw videos and received complaints about the condition of the road.

He said the NDDC had engaged the Federal Ministry of Works, obtained the project design and secured approval for the site to be handed over to the commission for immediate intervention.

The NDDC boss said the road’s strategic importance made its reconstruction imperative, noting that it was a major federal route linking the South-West and North to the South-South.

Giving details of the project, the NDDC Executive Director, Projects, Engr. Victor Antai, said the reconstruction covered approximately 15.4 kilometres and would be executed with rigid concrete pavement.

Antai said China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and Ronin and Fan Limited had been engaged to execute the project.

Earlier, the Delta State representative on the NDDC Governing Board, Hon. Monday Igbuya, commended the commission for approving the reconstruction of the highway.

Igbuya appealed to the NDDC to extend its intervention to the Amukpe-Abraka-Agbor Road and the Sapele-Warri Road to further improve connectivity across Delta State.

In their goodwill messages, Senator Ede Dafinone and Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu commended President Tinubu and the NDDC for the intervention.

By Mr Tonnie-Egun writing from Agbor.

When a multinational writes a cheque for Nigeria, it is betting on the answer to one question, can I get my money out? Until recently the honest answer was no, not easily.
For instance, let us take Indomie as a case of study. The noodles consumed in millions of Nigerian homes are made by Dufil Prima Foods, the Nigerian manufacturer through which Indonesia’s food giant Indofood has built one of the country’s biggest food businesses. As the world watched the naira’s turbulence in 2024 and 2025, Indofood quietly deepened its Nigerian operations, seeing the market not as a place to leave but a place to build. That decision didn’t come out of nowhere. It dovetailed from the biggest shake-up of the foreign-exchange market by the Tinubu administration: one honest price for the dollar, and the freedom to trade at it by anyone.
The contrast speaks volumes. Before the Naira unification, Nigeria operated with two prices for the same dollar: an official rate that was artificially low and a parallel rate where everyone else bought theirs. In June 2023, the difference was about N461 against over N760. The spread was no curiosity. It was a machine of blight. A favored importer bought dollars at the official window and sold them on the street making hundreds of naira per dollar in the process without producing anything.
Even worse, the rationing that fed that machine drove serious companies away. During this period, GlaxoSmithKline, Procter & Gamble and Kimberly-Clark all left Nigeria citing the same killers: inability to source dollars and shrinking capacity to repatriate profits. But if a multinational can’t get its naira back into dollars, it stops investing, no matter how big the market is.
Unification solved both problems at once. In June 2023, the administration merged the multiple windows into one and allowed the naira to be traded on a willing buyer, willing seller basis. The round-tripping racket was deprived of its source of cheap dollars and the parallel-market premium collapsed. The Central Bank also took action in 2024 to clear the backlog of unmet dollar demand that had been strangling foreign firms, equally important.
This is the silent story of the Indomie decision. A company that watched Nigeria in 2023, where obtaining dollars was a matter of who you knew, by 2024 and 2025, saw a market with a single discoverable rate and a central bank working through its backlog. The change was not a slogan. It was the difference between exiting and evolving.

The same signal was sent to the capital markets. Nigeria’s return to the Eurobond space in late 2024 was oversubscribed, external reserves were rebuilt to the $50 billion level and the sovereign credit outlook improved. These are not abstract statistics, these are foreign money voting, in real time, on whether Nigeria has changed.
The honest condition still applies. The naira though transparent, is not strong yet. But it is by far stabilized. Families are no doubt feeling the cost of living every day. But the direction toward a system where the market, not a phone call, determines who gets dollars and where international and local investors judge Nigeria on its merits, rather than its connections is right.
In the 2027 election, the decision shall be whether to keep that Naira unified door open or allow the two-price system to creep back. It is just one cheque in a cascade of Indofood deals, but it tells the story in a sentence: as Nigeria stopped rationing dollars, and started to price them honestly, the companies that had been leavening quietly started to come back.

Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, on Thursday commemorated the state’s 35th anniversary, commending successive administrations and the people of Delta State for their contributions to its peace, stability and development.

Oborevwori spoke at a thanksgiving service held at the Government House Chapel, Asaba, to mark the anniversary of Delta State’s creation.

The governor described the 35th anniversary as an opportunity to celebrate Delta State’s achievements, reflect on its journey and renew the collective commitment to building a greater state.

He attributed Delta’s progress over the past 35 years to God’s grace, while commending Deltans for sustaining peace and acknowledging those who have contributed to the state’s growth and development.

“Let me first give thanks to Almighty God for His grace and for keeping Delta State for 35. It has been 35 years of a remarkable journey, and by God’s grace, we will continue to play our part to ensure that the achievements of our state are sustained and improved upon,” he said.

Oborevwori paid tribute to political leaders, past and present, for their contributions to Delta’s stability and democratic development. He noted that their wisdom, sacrifices, dialogue and commitment had helped the state maintain peace and achieve progress.

He also acknowledged the contributions of former military administrators and civilian governors, stressing that each administration had played a role in shaping present-day Delta State.

“Each administration has contributed a chapter to the history of our state, and we will not forget them,” the governor said.

He said the 35th anniversary provided an opportunity to recognise the contributions of the state’s diverse ethnic nationalities, religious communities and non-indigenes who had made Delta their home.

According to him, the state’s diversity remains one of its greatest strengths and a critical factor in its continued peace and development.

The governor said his administration had a responsibility to build on the foundations laid by previous governments rather than take past achievements for granted.

“Gratitude for the past must be accompanied by responsibility for the future,” he said, adding that his administration would continue to consolidate the gains of its predecessors while doing more for the people.

Oborevwori said the administration’s vision was to build a Delta State that is “more peaceful, prosperous, secure, inclusive and competitive, and better prepared for the opportunities of the future.”

He listed infrastructure, education, healthcare, human capital development, agriculture and technology as the administration’s priority areas, adding that it would also continue strengthening institutions, creating an environment where businesses could thrive and enabling young people to realise their potential.

He reiterated his administration’s commitment to inclusiveness, saying the government would continue to collaborate with religious and traditional leaders, political stakeholders, civil society organisations, organised labour, the private sector, women and communities across the state.

The governor particularly praised Deltans for maintaining peace, describing it as a major driver of the development recorded across the state.

“The peace we are enjoying today has brought development. If there were crises in the state, I don’t think we would be talking about the level of development we are witnessing today. I know that by the time we turn 40, Delta will still look better,” he said.

In his sermon titled “The Uniqueness of the Christian Faith,” Chaplain of the Government House Chapel, Asaba, Ven. Charles Osemenam, urged Deltans to deepen their relationship with God and place unwavering faith and trust in Him.

Osemenam described Delta State’s 35th anniversary as a time for thanksgiving and sober reflection, urging the people to acknowledge God’s role in the state’s journey and continue to seek His guidance.

The thanksgiving service was attended by the Wife of the Governor, Deaconess Tobore Oborevwori; the Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme; and other senior government officials.

The political and business elite of Delta State on Wednesday converged in Isiokolo, Ethiope East Local Government Area, as the son of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Innocent, traditionally married Tobore Arigbodi, daughter of prominent businessman and Managing Director of Librod Energy Limited, Chief Brodericks Arigbodi.

The colourful ceremony, held at the Arigbodi family’s country home, was conducted in accordance with Urhobo customs and traditions, bringing together prominent political leaders, business executives, traditional stakeholders and other dignitaries from across the state and beyond.

Among those who graced the occasion were the Deputy Governor of Delta State, Sir Monday Onyeme; former governors of the state, Chief James Ibori and Senator Ifeanyi Okowa; Senator Ede Dafinone, the Emir of Zazzau, His Highness, Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, CFR, Hon. Francis Waive, Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor; and Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Chiedu Ebie.

Also present were prominent businessmen, including Chief Victor Egukawhore, Chief Eta Enahoro, Chief Tunde Smooth, Chief Johnbull Ejovi, Chief Tony Oboroh, Chief John Oguma, as well as members of the Delta State House of Assembly, Commissioners, local government council chairmen, other top government functionaries, politicians and other dignitaries.

The ceremony offered a colourful display of Urhobo culture, with both families formally celebrating the union of their children amid music, dancing and traditional rites.

Governor Oborevwori and his wife, Deaconess Tobore Oborevwori, parents of the bride, Chief Brodericks Arigbodi and his wife, were visibly elated as they received guests and exchanged pleasantries with dignitaries who turned out to celebrate with the families.

The atmosphere became even more lively with a performance by Port Harcourt-based ace musician, Duncan Mighty, who entertained guests with his popular songs.

The gathering, which cut across political, business and social circles, underscored the strong relationships and goodwill enjoyed by the Oborevwori and Arigbodi families.

Guests at the ceremony prayed for the newly married couple, wishing them a fruitful union, peace and enduring happiness as they begin their journey together.

Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has felicitate Muslims across the state and Nigeria on the occasion of this year’s Eid-ul-Mawlid, commemorating the birth of Prophet Muhammad.

In a goodwill message issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, the Governor extended warm greetings and best wishes to the Muslim faithful, urging them to use the occasion to reflect on the exemplary life, teachings and virtues of the Prophet.

Oborevwori noted that the values of compassion, humility, peaceful coexistence, sacrifice, tolerance and service to humanity associated with the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad remained relevant to the nation’s quest for peace, unity and sustainable development.

He called on Muslims in Delta State and across the country to make the celebration an opportunity to strengthen their commitment to peaceful coexistence, love for one another and the advancement of the common good.

The Governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to fostering an inclusive society where citizens, irrespective of religious, ethnic or political affiliations, could live and pursue their legitimate aspirations in peace and dignity.

He urged the Muslim community to continue supporting government’s efforts toward building a peaceful, prosperous and united Delta State, while praying for continued peace, stability and progress in the state and Nigeria.

Oborevwori wished the Muslim faithful a joyous and spiritually rewarding Eid-ul-Mawlid celebration.

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State has advocated for a decisive shift toward intelligence-led, preventive, and collaborative security governance to tackle Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.

​He made the call on Monday during a visit by participants of the Advanced Intelligence Officers’ Course 16/2026 from the Defence Intelligence College, Karu, Abuja.

The Governor who was represented by his Deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, Ph.D., highlighted the critical role of integrated intelligence and multi-agency coordination in safeguarding national assets and regional stability.

​He said, “the security problems confronting Nigeria demand a decisive shift from reactive security management to preventive, intelligence-led and collaborative security governance. Intelligence must translate into timely decisions, effective action and measurable security outcomes.

“I urge you, as future senior intelligence and security leaders, to use the knowledge and experiences gained from this tour to strengthen national resilience and promote greater cooperation among security institutions.

“This is because, I am very happy to welcome you to Delta State on this important study tour, themed, “Strengthening National Resilience Through Integrated Intelligence, Multi-Agency Coordination and Regional Security Cooperation.”

“I am particularly pleased that Delta State was chosen for this study tour. Delta occupies a strategic position in the Niger Delta as an oil and gas hub, maritime gateway and agricultural belt.

“Security and stability in our State have implications for the wider Niger Delta, the protection of critical national assets and the economic security and sustenance of Nigeria.

“Government recognises that contemporary security threats require collaborative engagement rather than isolated responses; we have therefore continued to strengthen cooperation among the Army, DSS, Police, Navy, NSCDC and other relevant stakeholders, while providing necessary logistical support for security operations.”

“The Operation Delta Sweep was established to strengthen joint security operations, reduce crime and protect lives and property through coordinated action.

“Similarly, the regular State Security Council meetings provide a platform for government and security agencies to assess emerging threats, share intelligence and coordinate appropriate responses.

“In addition, Government established the Office of the Special Adviser on Peace Building and Conflict Resolution to prevent and resolve conflicts, promote reconciliation and foster peaceful coexistence, while the Office of the Special Adviser on Intelligence Gathering strengthens grassroots intelligence and proactive crime prevention, among others.

“Delta State also recognise the importance of intelligence from the grassroots; traditional rulers, Presidents-General, community development structures and other community stakeholders play vital roles in providing early-warning information that support timely security intervention.

“Only recently, a security summit with the theme: “Security: A Collective Responsibility” was convoked by the State Government and it saw stakeholders uniting against terror and all forms of criminality.

“Following 2026 Delta State Economic and Investment Summit, we are also developing a Data and Investment Intelligence Hub to support the collection, integration and analysis of reliable data for evidence-based decision-making, economic planning, investment promotion and security management.

“At the regional level, Delta State continues to pursue regional security cooperation through platforms such as the BRACED Commission and the Niger Delta Governors’ Forum, particularly in addressing cross-border threats such as kidnapping, cultism, illegal bunkering and maritime insecurity,” the Governor said.

Earlier, in an address, the Team Leader, Commodore Usman Bugaje, disclosed that the choice of Delta State for the study tour was because the state is very strategic to the economy of the country.

According to him, “we considered the economic importance of Delta State, particularly its economic activities, offshore operations, transportation corridors, movement of finished products, crude oil, and the oil and gas industry, among others.

“We also considered the various security agencies operating in the State.

“The participants are here to interrogate and examine the peculiar security challenges affecting the State, in line with the theme of the course, which focuses on strengthening national resilience through integrated intelligence, multi-agency coordination and regional security.”

“Basically, we are here to engage with the citizens of the State, appreciate the efforts of the security agencies, and hear first-hand about the efforts of the State Government in bringing together the various security agencies, including traditional institutions, towards achieving relative peace and security in the State.”

A retired DMG of Delta Broadcasting Service, Asaba, Mr Benjamin Binitie, has cautioned and called on journalists to shun emotional reporting from social media and build corporate relationship with oil and gas companies in order to get credibly and reliable information from the right source

He made this call during a one-day capacity building programme organized for journalists by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Council, in partnership with Chevron Nigeria Limited, on promoting ethical standards in oil and gas reporting.

The training titled “Enhancing Professional Skills and Ethical Standards in Oil and Gas Journalism.”took place at the NUJ Press Center, Asaba, and brought together finest facilitators and lecturers in news reporting, with 50 participants trained in oil and gas reporting.

He noted that one of the peculiarities in oil and gas industry relative to host communities is crisis, and report of such crisis should be done credibly and responsibly to avoid creating fear, confusion or even violence.

He cited some unfounded reports in Nigeria that triggered and snowballed into violence or even fatalities like that of the Ogoni 7 in Niger Delta region,.and warned against unfounded and emotional reporting that could trigger sentiments and generate violence in oil region.

Binitie stated.that for a communication to be responsible during crisis, it must be timely, coordinated and accurate. “Emergencies in oil and gas, whatever form they take, require specific reporting strategies”, Binitie noted, adding that the proper line of action for responsible communication of emergencies are; stating nature of emergency, cause of emergency, communities impacted and specific number of casualties, regulators’ action, and response measure by the company.

He strongly condemned emotional reporting, adding that unconfirmed figures, fake pictures and videos have proliferated the social media space, thus should be the last source of information for a journalists.

In a goodwill message, the General Manager of Chevron Nigeria Limited, Corporate Affairs, Mr Olusoga Oduselu, represented by the Manager, Communication for Nigeria and Mid-Africa, Dr Victor Anyaegbudike, noted that the oil and gas industry is very sensitive and therefore those reporting it’s activities must do it responsibly and credibly, adding that this is the thrust for the capacity building training organized for journalists.

Speaking further,, Anyaegbudike termed journalists as “Agender Setters”, informing what people think or say and shaping broader opinion and perception. He noted that training of journalists is one of the best practices of Chevron with 425 journalists being trained and an estimated 1billion dollars spent annually for Nigeria’s Content Development.

He assured that the oil company remains committed to building journalists’ capacity in oil and gas reporting, while promoting ethical standards and discipline in reporting.

Earlier in the programme, the Chairman of NUJ Delta State Council, Comrade Churchill Oyowe, described the workshop as timely, given the importance of the oil and gas sector to Nigeria’s economy, energy security and development maps

Oyowe noted that oil and gas reporting requires understandimg of the industry’s value chain, the regulating laws and it’s operations with host communities.

He reiterated that the aim of the training is to build capacity in journalists on producing reports that are both informative and responsible, adding that NUJ Delta State Council remains committed to continuous training and retraining of it’s members for effective and responsible journalism.

He urged participants to uphold accuracy, fairness and professional ethics, while commending Chevron for its continued support for media capacity development.

The workshop featured insightful lectures by seasoned media professionals and academics on communicating oil and gas company’s activities, ethical reporting, health, safety and environmental standards, clean energy, the Petroleum Industry Act and host community relations.

A Q/A session saw a spectrum of concern’s about the journalist’s safety,. insurance and welfare.being addressed as well as professional reporting detached from inducement or gratification.

Highpoints of the training were lectures, question and answer, presentation of certificates/awards and group photographs.

DELTA FRESH VISION recently stumbled on a highly politicized propaganda piece written by one Swill Mavua . It was an article that stood truth on its head with attempts to malign the Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori and throw mud into the activities of DESOPADEC .

Beneath the emotionally charged language of the writer lies a fundamental problem: claims are repeatedly presented as facts without evidence, while unrelated issues are deliberately woven together to create a scandal where the facts may not support one .

DESOPADEC deserves a more serious and balanced conversation. The first question one may ask is : where is the evidence. A responsible discussion requires the so called High Court judgement of may 26 to be produced, its exact orders examined, the parties bound by the judgement identified. A court judgement is not properly discussed by headline figures and political rhetoric. It must be read in its entirety. If indeed there is an enforceable judgment directing a particular party to pay a specific sum, the public deserves to know precisely who was ordered to pay , what amount was awarded , the period covered, whether an appeal was filed and whether execution was stayed .

In this particular case there was actually a court judgment which DESOPADEC management faulted and appealed . There is a stay of execution on the High court judgment and until there is final adjudication on the matter, the DESOPADEC management cannot act. In the meantime, DESOPADEC management has a robust relationship with its workers, promotions are done as when due and conditions of service are excellent. The DESOPADEC management needs to be acknowledged and appreciated for doing a very effective and efficient staff reorganization that had saved the Commission millions of naira .
It is also instructive to note that DESOPADEC commenced the payment of the new minimum wage of N79,100 to its workers from November 2024, including payment of October arrears. A health insurance Scheme was introduced/ strengthened to cover spouse and up to four children. Some previously disengaged workers who were considered to have been unjustly laid off have been reinstated, with arrears paid in some cases.

It is therefore very wrong for Mavua to create the erroneous impression that the DESOPADEC management has an estranged relationship with its workers and that they are in fact on a war path

These are the posers that we must push to armchair critics who are bent on politicizing issues that are purely administrative.

Until these questions are answered , the whole publication by Swill Mavua remains mere political rhetoric and conjecture than responsible analysis. When elections are very close these types of political propaganda often emanate to mislead the electorate.

The attempt to portray DESOPADEC as a BOARD without an institutional integrity is equally misleading. DESOPADEC was established by law with a specific mandate to develop oil- producing communities in Delta state . It had its own institutional structures, management and Board . Therefore , every issue concerning its finances , employees, projects and administration should be examined within the relevant legal and administrative framework.

The most sensational part of the article is the claim that 500 councillors received N20 million each , amounting to N10 billion and that this was a political gift intended to purchase grassroots loyalty. A journalist should not make spurious statements without back up evidence. It is very uncharitable for Mavua to make this wild claim . There is basically no correlation between the third tier of government ( Local Government Councils) and DESOPADEC. Local governments have their own finances while DESOPADEC have theirs . Their expenditure lines and responsibilities do not meet. One wonders how Mavua was able to conjure this spurious claim to mislead the electorates of Delta state. Again, like we said , we should not mix politics with things that concern the lives of people.

Perhaps the greatest disservice to DESOPADEC in the article is to attempt to define the Commission almost exclusively through a dispute over salaries . DESOPADEC represents a much larger developmental responsibility. Its relevance is measured by what it does for communities in the oil producing areas: roads, schools , health facilities, water projects , electricity, skills acquisition, youth empowerment, community development and other interventions within its mandate.

For the avoidance of doubt , the Delta State House of Assembly has oversight over DESOPADEC activities. It is therefore mischievous to attempt to drag the name of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori into the day -to -day running of DESOPADEC. This clearly shows that Swill Mavua is very ignorant about how government and its agencies work .

The writer also made the bizzare assertion that Governor Oborevwori does not have the will and capacity to Govern Delta State. This is laughable because the Governor’s outstanding leadership qualities and exceptional governance credentials are already in the public space .

Mavua does not represent any constructive objectives by making unverified allegations and then building an entire political narrative around them . While criticism is good for democracy, it should be fair, accurate and supported by evidence. Making sweeping allegations without evidence is counterproductive and has the potential of misleading a whole population. it is good to demand accountability but wrong to mistake allegation for evidence, arithmetic for proof or political rhetoric for established fact .

Mavua tried to create the erroneous impression that DESOPADEC and the Delta State Government are underperforming. This is far from the truth . Just to pick a few for the Delta State Government- we must mention the iconic flyover projects being undertaken by Julius Berger at DSC , PTI and Enerhen corridors. These projects are in varying degrees of completion . Flyovers are being replicated at Otovwodo junction and Agbor , which will bring permanent solutions to the long Standing congestion at the strategic junctions.
We must also mention the completion by the Delta state government of the Trans- Warri Ode Itsekiri road and bridges as well as the 149 kilometer Asaba – Ughelli Expressway . Roads and bridges are being developed across communities previously constrained by poor access. The list is endless. As at December 2025 , DELTA FRESH VISION has recorded about 513 road projects with a cumulative length of 2,595.56 km.- being undertaken by the Delta state government, with several of them already completed. Under Human Capital development, programmes like D-CARES , MORE Grant , MORE Biz-Up and WESAP are providing economic support, skills and opportunities to vulnerable groups, women , young people and persons with disabilities. Space will not permit us to dwell on the Delta State government ‘s intervention in Agriculture, civil service welfare, students support, Technical Education and healthcare.

For DESOPADEC, the Commission has been very successful in providing community roads and drainage , educational infrastructure, health facilities, civil and community centres , electricity and street lighting, flood prevention interventions, youth empowerment , skills and community development. DESOPADEC’S intervention in road infrastructure has a long record. Among its notable projects is the 8 kilometer Obi- Anyima road in Ika South. Others are the Ofagbe – Ibrede Road , DESOPADEC civil and community centres , classroom blocks at Abalagada, Egbokodo Itsekiri, Uzere , Ebedei and Oghara as well as Ogulagha modern school.
DESOPADEC has also supported education infrastructure including a student’s hostel at the Delta State University, Oleh campus and six three bedroom bungalows for visiting lecturers. The Commission has also provided accommodation infrastructure for the Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko. The Agoloma cottage hospital in Patani is also one of the Commission ‘s documented projects .We can go on and on but space will not permit us.

Media practitioners should direct their energies into looking at DESOPADEC holistically: their achievements, challenges and offer advice rather than make sweeping allegations that are not evidence backed . DESOPADEC deserves commendation and not condemnation, constructive criticism and not destructive criticisms. Critics should allow DESOPADEC the space and stability to succeed. The Commission was created to address the development needs of oil bearing communities and its effectiveness should ultimately be judged by the projects it delivers and impact it makes on the people . Constructive criticism is welcome but constant political attacks , premature accusations and attempt to discredit the institution can distract from its core mandate.

Rather than looking for every opportunity to pull the Commission down , critics should scrutinize its programmes objectively, acknowledge genuine achievements and point out areas requiring improvement. The real victory is not for DESOPADEC as an institution; it is for the oil – producing communities whose development depends on it .

DESOPADEC as an interventionist organization should not be dragged into politics. Any journalist wishing to get facts should visit reliable information channels than manufacture spurious information and data that do not stand the test of veracity.

Chief Press Secretary to the Delta State Governor, Sir Festus Ahon, has congratulated the Rector of the Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe-Oghara, Prof. Emmanuel Ufuofu-Biri, on the occasion of his birth anniversary.

Ahon, in a congratulatory message, said Ufuofu-Biri had distinguished himself through his commitment to academic excellence, institutional development and the advancement of human capital, describing him as a distinguished academic and administrator whose contributions have strengthened the institution.

He commended the Rector for providing purposeful leadership at the Polytechnic, noting that his experience and dedication had contributed significantly to the growth and stability of the institution.

According to him, the birth anniversary provides an opportunity to celebrate Ufuofu-Biri’s achievements and his contributions to the development of education in Delta State.

Ahon expressed confidence that the Rector would continue to deploy his wealth of experience and expertise to advance the institution and contribute to the development of the state.

He wished Prof. Ufuofu-Biri more years of good health, wisdom and fulfilment, praying that God would continue to bless him and grant him greater accomplishments in the years ahead.