As Governor Sheriff Oborevwori marks his second year in office, the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) stands as a cornerstone of his administration’s commitment to inclusive development under the MORE Agenda.
Through the leadership of the Chairman Chief Barr. John Nani and Managing Director Chief Festus Ochonogor, the Commission has delivered wide-ranging infrastructure and human capital projects to the state’s oil-producing communities.
“Sustainable development is the pathway to the future we want for all,” former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon once noted. “It offers a framework to generate economic growth, achieve social justice, exercise environmental stewardship, and strengthen governance.” This philosophy mirrors the core of DESOPADEC’s work—delivering meaningful progress that balances infrastructure, empowerment, and sustainability.
Since 2023, DESOPADEC has recorded visible transformation across its six mandate ethnic nationalities—Urhobo, Ijaw, Isoko, Ndokwa, Itsekiri, and Ika. Infrastructure development has been one of its most measurable areas of success. Over 60 road and jetty projects have been delivered, with about 80% completed and the rest ongoing.
The Commission invested in health infrastructure. In Warri South, Egbokodo and Ugbori got new health centers, while Ode-Itsekiri and Orugbo in Warri South West also benefited. A maternity ward was added to Koko General Hospital in Warri North, and facilities in Egberide (Ughelli South) and Utagbo Uno were either renovated or expanded.
Housing development also featured prominently, with over 50 residential bungalows—ranging from one to three bedrooms—constructed in Oboghoro (Warri North), Ajansan (Warri South West), and multiple riverine and inland communities including Ogheye-Egboroke, Kokodiagbene, and Tuomo.
In education, DESOPADEC completed and rehabilitated more than 55 institutions. Noteworthy among these are the ultra-modern Iwere College in Koko, Beach Secondary School (Koko), and Azama Zion Primary School with six classroom blocks. Corps members’ lodges, ICT halls, and libraries were added in communities like Jones Creek, New Diebiri, and Oporoza.
On staff welfare, Governor Oborevwori is the first governor in Delta State history to implement the minimum wage for DESOPADEC workers, reinforcing his administration’s commitment to staff welfare and institutional growth.
Speaking on these milestones, Chief Ochonogor commended Governor Oborevwori’s consistency in monitoring and inspecting projects. “The Governor has not just funded projects; he has shaped a culture of accountability and discipline that drives excellence,” he said.
Two years on, DESOPADEC’s progress under Governor Oborevwori is both visible and impactful. From jetties in the creeks to ICT centers in classrooms, and health centers in hard-to-reach villages, the Commission is transforming Delta’s oil-bearing communities one project at a time.
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