By Fredrick Okopie

The Indigenous Contractors Forum, ICF, operating with the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC,  has urged Governor  Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, to implement the law establishing DESOPADEC as well as pay the outstanding debts owed contractors in the last two years.

The contractors, led by the chairman and patron of ICF, Mr. Francis Obule and Mr. Maikpobi Okareme,  said  that Delta State Government should make payment for completed projects and fully implement the provisions of the law establishing DESOPADEC.

Gov. Okowa

According to Obule, in the past two years, his members have not received payment for projects executed, and therefore, called on the state government to intervene and make payments as soon as possible,  adding that the state government has not made money available to pay contractors this year.

“We demand for adequate funding of the Commission. We demand for payment of completed/ongoing projects. We insist that 2015/2016 budget should be used to pay completed/ongoing projects executed. As at today, the commission owes her contractors up to N11 billion. This amount must be released forthwith,” he added.

Responding, the acting governor,  Mr  Kingsley Otuaro said that the state government was not unaware of the plights of unpaid DESOPADEC’s indigenous contractors but will soon hold a meeting with them and the commission toward making some payments.