DESOPADEC is Advancing The MORE Agenda of Governor Oborevwori Through Accountability and Grassroot Development — Delta State HOSTCOM

 

By Wilson Macaulay

The leadership of the Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM), Delta State Chapter, has reacted strongly to a recent publication titled “DESOPADEC: The Drift From Mandate: A Call for Developmental Accountability in Delta State” authored by faceless individuals.

Speaking on behalf of HOSTCOM, Senior Comrade Sunday Ndidi Enujeke, Chairman of HOSTCOM Delta State, described the publication as “unfortunate, misleading and politically motivated write-up, riddled with half-truths and deliberate misinformation aimed at discrediting DESOPADEC and the visionary leadership of His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Francis Oborevwori, the Talk-Na-Do Governor and Mr. Project of Delta State.”

Comrade Enujeke stated that contrary to insinuations of “drifting from mandate,” DESOPADEC remains firmly committed to its statutory objectives of developing oil-producing communities. He emphasized that roads, schools, health centres, and rural electrification projects remain at the centre of the Commission’s focus.

According to him, the much-criticized awareness campaigns such as drug abuse sensitization, youth empowerment, and skill acquisition programmes are “not distractions but strategic social interventions designed to tackle pressing societal problems ravaging host communities, particularly the menace of drugs among youths.”

“Development is not only about bricks and mortar; it is also about people. Investing in human capital, public health, and social reorientation is part of true grassroots development,” he stressed.

Verifiable Infrastructure Across the mandate Areas 

Senior Comrade Sunday Ndidi Enujeke, the Delta State HOSTCOM Chairman, debunked claims that communities such as Warri, Ughelli, Sapele, and Burutu had been “abandoned,” calling it “a blatant misrepresentation.”

He highlighted that DESOPADEC has delivered hundreds of verifiable projects across the core mandate Areas  listing examples:

Roads: Ongoing construction and rehabilitation of feeder/community roads to connect hard-to-reach villages.

Education: Renovated schools, new classroom blocks, and well-equipped science laboratories in different LGAs.

Electricity: Transformers, rural electrification schemes, and solar-powered streetlights deployed to hitherto dark communities.

Health: Built and furnished cottage hospitals and primary health centres that now serve rural dwellers closer to home.

Water: Boreholes and water reticulation systems that have significantly reduced the prevalence of waterborne diseases.

“These are tangible, life-impacting projects that cannot be dismissed by propaganda,” Enujeke said.

Beyond Infrastructure: Human Capital Development

Also speaking, High Comrade Joseph Lamiengham, Secretary of HOSTCOM Delta State, insisted that programs like drug abuse campaigns, scholarships, and empowerment initiatives are essential in repositioning host communities.

“Calling these programmes ‘cosmetic’ shows ignorance of community realities. DESOPADEC is not only building infrastructure, but is also building people. Empowered youths, skilled artisans, and educated children are the backbone of sustainable development,” Lamiengham remarked.

Commitment and Accountability

Lamiengham further emphasized that DESOPADEC under the present board has deepened transparency and accountability.

He explained that project selection now involves traditional rulers, youth leaders, and community stakeholders to ensure that developmental priorities reflect the needs of the people, not the whims and  caprices of politicians.

“This is not an era of opaque processes. This is an era of open, people-driven accountability,” he declared.

Working in Synergy With the MORE Agenda

The HOSTCOM leadership praised the synergy between DESOPADEC and the Governor’s MORE Agenda (Meaningful Development, Opportunities for All, Realistic Reforms, and Enhanced Peace & Security).

According to them, oil-producing communities are now at the forefront of government attention, with projects and policies that translate directly into grassroots transformation.

They further stressed that Hon. Chief John Nani, Chairman of DESOPADEC, and Chief Festus Ochonogor, MD/CEO, are doing very well and deserve commendation, not condemnation.

“These leaders have provided direction, passion, and focus, ensuring that DESOPADEC remains a vehicle of transformation. Their efforts in touching lives and reaching developmental strides in the oil-bearing communities cannot be overemphasized,” Enujeke affirmed.

“This is why the Governor is rightly called Talk-Na-Do. He matches his words with action, and DESOPADEC is a visible proof of that,” he added.

From Neglect to Renewed Hope

HOSTCOM leaders declared that the only drift happening is from decades of neglect to a new era of renewed hope.

They maintained that DESOPADEC has moved beyond political rhetoric and tokenism, channeling every allocation into measurable and impactful development projects.

Conclusion

In their joint statement, Senior Comrade Sunday Ndidi Enujeke and High Comrade Joseph Lamiengham urged Deltans and host communities to disregard what they called “black-market propaganda designed to tarnish progress, coupled with the libelous grandstanding of those writers which should be outrightly rejected.”

“DESOPADEC is not drifting. It is delivering.”

“It is not cosmetic. It is concrete.”

“It is not retrogression. It is restoration.”

The HOSTCOM leaders reaffirmed their support for the Governor’s MORE Agenda and called on oil-producing communities to continue to partner with DESOPADEC for sustainable growth.

HostCom: The Accredited Watchdog of Derivation

HOSTCOM, as the parent body of derivation and the watchdog of the 13% derivation, has the statutory authority to question how 50% of the 100% is being spent. Any other person, apart from our traditional rulers, lacks that legitimacy. Therefore, accountability should be viewed inward and addressed only through the accredited body—which is HOSTCOM.

“Our oil-bearing communities are better today because DESOPADEC, under the guidance of the Talk-Na-Do Governor, with the leadership of Hon. Chief John Nani and the management of Chief Festus Ochonogor, is working tirelessly to transform lives and the oil-producing communities,” they concluded.