By Our Correspondent
The Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) Indigenous Contractors Forum has disowned individuals allegedly planning to lay siege to the commission’s office over claims of non-payment, describing them as impersonators and hoodlums.
The forum said those behind the planned protest, reportedly under the guise of Urhobo contractors, are not known to the body and have no affiliation whatsoever with indigenous contractors registered with DESOPADEC.
In a statement issued on Monday and signed by its Chairman, Engr. Ogie Samson Oritsebemigho, the forum was reacting to a report published by Urhobo Today titled “Panic at DESOPADEC as Aggrieved Contractors Plan to Lay Siege at Premises Over Non-Payment.”
According to the forum, the individuals mentioned in the report are fraudsters bent on creating unrest and threatening the peace of the state.
“Those parading themselves as Urhobo contractors are unknown to the DESOPADEC Indigenous Contractors Forum. They are impersonators attempting to cause chaos. Security agencies should investigate and bring them to book,” the statement read.
The forum stressed that it currently enjoys a cordial and productive working relationship with the management of DESOPADEC and therefore sees no justification for any form of protest or disruption of the commission’s activities.
“So far, we have a good working relationship with the management of DESOPADEC. There is absolutely no need to disrupt the operations of the commission. Those behind that publication are not known to us,” it added.
The Indigenous Contractors Forum called on the management of DESOPADEC and relevant security agencies to take all lawful measures to address the situation, including investigating, arresting, and prosecuting those allegedly planning the protest for impersonation.
“We want the security agencies to investigate those behind the publication, arrest them, and prosecute them accordingly. They are unknown to us,” the forum said.
Reaffirming its stance, the forum pledged its unalloyed support and continued cooperation with the DESOPADEC management.
“We, on behalf of DESOPADEC indigenous contractors, wish to notify the general public and the DESOPADEC Board of a planned protest by some persons parading themselves as contractors from the Urhobo ethnic nationality. We wish to clearly state that these persons are not contractors, and we are not a party to such actions.
“We reassure the board of our continuous support and cooperation. Those planning to lay siege are not contractors but impersonators,” the statement concluded.
