DESOPADEC is a Vehicle to Siphon the People’s Money, Rita Lori Alleges

DESOPADEC is a Vehicle to Siphon the People’s Money, Rita Lori Alleges

13% derivation fund should be for the people

A  Lagos-based business woman and Itsekiri high chief, Rita Lori Ogbebor, today accused the past Delta State Government of using the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) as a vehicle to steal the state fund, thereby impoverishing the people who the 13 percent derivation fund was originally meant for.

According to Ogbebor, she started the fight to stop the state from using the derivation fund along with the state allocation 16 years ago during Governor James Ibori reign, “but till date, the state government has refused to use the money to develop the area and better the lives of the people, instead, politicians use the commission to siphon the money for their personal use.”

At a press conference held in Lagos yesterday, the hotelier lamented the suffering the people of Niger Delta region (mostly in Delta State) have to go through to survive, adding that a case were the goose that lays the golden egg is neglected and abandoned would not continue, as she called on the federal government to beam its searchlight on the activities of DESOPADEC.

 “In the last one week, DESOPADEC has been on the news and my name has been the pivot of the news. Because I cannot fold my arms and I see my people languish in poverty and sorrow. I took Ibori to the Supreme Court and as his term was ending, he created DESOPADEC and divided the derivation fund and took 50 percent which is criminal. It was like creating a law within the law which is criminal and this is what we all (all tribes) are fighting for. So let the people manage their money themselves.

“We are suffering degradation because the derivation funds are not used for the people or infrastructure to develop the area. No security, no school, poverty is the order of the day, and no good health system there. How do you expect the people to survive?

“DESPODEC is a vehicle to steal money, which is a shame. The commission has no focus, except it is a means to steal money.

“I am therefore telling the state Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, that DESPODEC is a means for politicians to loot the fund meant for development, and should repeal the law which was recently passed in the state on the commission,” Ogbebor stated.