It is our resolve to transform Oil Communities – ISOPADEC MD

The Managing Director of the Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ISOPADEC), Engr. Anthony Okwuosha, has assured that the Commission under his watch will leave no stone in addressing the challenges of the oil bearing communities.

The Chief Executive of the Commissions statement was contained in press release issues by his Special Assistant on Media & Communications, Collins Ughaala.

Engr. Okwuosha revealed that the present commission inherited barrage of challenges raging from environmental degradation, insecurity and youths’ restiveness, unemployment, poverty and lack of social amenities.

Said he, “We are not leaving any stone unturned in addressing the challenges the new management and board inherited in the oil producing communities upon assumption of office, including environmental degradation, insecurity and youths’ restiveness, unemployment, poverty and lack of social amenities”.

According to the release, The Managing Director of the Commission commended wife of the Governor for the successful 2019 Women August Meeting. She said Mrs Ihedioha is charting a new course for the women, describing the just concluded August Meeting as a memorable experience.

In the same vein, Mr. Okwuosha, commended the wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs Ogbuefi Vivian Irona, for spotlessly organising Oguta women while playing host to the First Lady.

The Managing Director bemoan the rot the present government met upon assumption of office, even as he pledged the Commission’s resolve to do her best to rebuild the member communities in line with its mandate and in concert with the Rebuild Imo Agenda.

He said: “ISOPADEC is doing a lot towards addressing the challenges faced by our people in the oil producing communities. You know the security situation we met upon assumption of office. A lot is going on towards addressing them, and you can agree with me that things have improved. We are not relenting. A lot of projects are coming up. You saw the advertisement we published in the newspapers inviting contractors to submit their tenders. The bidding for the projects has started, and very soon you would see the Governor going round to commission projects or see ongoing ones”.

He commended Governor Emeka Ihedioha for setting up the ISOPADEC Probe Panel, reiterating that the Panel was not set up to sack any worker of the Commission and is not doing so, but rather looking at the records and asking questions to unravel how the funds that accrued to the Commission for 8 years were managed. He called for support for the Panel to enable them achieve the purpose for which they were set up.

“I give credit to the Governor for setting up the Panel to look into the management of ISOPADEC. For 8 years the funds never came through to the people and no one can say what the funds were used for. The Panel is looking into it. The allegation that the Panel wants to sack some workers or slash their salaries is not true. Staff audit is normal and a continuous process”, he said.