By Egufe Yafugborhi

WARRI—ITSEKIRI Leaders of Thought, ILOT, and Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas, HOSTCOM, have rejected the 2016 Appropriation Bill of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, over alleged inconsistency with the law setting up the agency.

In a statement, yesterday, to draw attention of the state governor and the state House of Assembly,  ILOT listed lack of consultation, impunity and lopsidedness in the DESOPADEC budget proposal as it affects the Itsekiri Ethnic nationality as their grievances against the budget.

ILOT, in a statement by its Secretary, Edward Ekpoko, noted: “Sometime ago, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa directed DESOPADEC’s five ethnic nationalities to propose central (star) projects to be commissioned in 2016. We waited eagerly for the agency with three Itsekiri board members to consult Itsekiri on our choice of projects.

“Not even the Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Ikenwoli, was consulted. Sadly, N969,257,199.00 supposed central projects for three Itsekiri communities, all in Warri North LGA proposed in the 2016 DESOPADEC budget submitted by the governor are not central to the Itsekiri people.

“Three of the projects valued at N499,257,199.00 are sited in one community where one of the board members hails from. The construction of a 2km Township Road at Obitugbo in Warri North LGA valued at N400 million is designed to get access to a private depot owned by same board member and not in the interest of Itsekiri people.”

Beyond these rejections, HOSTCOM, following an emergency Delta State Council meeting, yesterday, on the matter in Effurun, Uvwie LGA, said it was also rejecting the bill for completely burying the capital expenditure for the 2015 DESOPADEC budget that was never implemented.

Delta State Chairman, HOSTCOM, Peter Egedegbe, said at meeting that, “It is only imperative that the unimplemented budget of 2015 be rolled over and clearly reflected in the 2016 proposal. The calculated omission amounts to attempted fraud that must not be allowed to happen as it would deny host communities their benefits.”