How DESOPADEC Saved N380m From Ghost Workers – Askia Ogieh 

• As he reels out achievements in last two years in office

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Bashorun Askia Ogieh, has given a graphic details of how he saved over N380 million naira of the commission from eliminating ghost workers from the interventionist agency.

He said prior to the restructuring of the Commission in 2015, staff in their usual laissez-faire attitude were being governed by their own whims and caprices, adding that the issue of ghost workers with non-conducive work environment was particularly notorious.

But Ogieh, in a press briefing in Warri held recently after a two-day tour of projects across the State, told journalists that on assumption of office two years ago they introduced a rebranded biometrics system, to ensure that their staffers come to the office and that they earn salaries as appropriate.

He said with savings from the Biometrics system, over N380 million have been deployed into the DESOPADEC Tower they are building currently.

The “DESOPADEC Tower,” is an ultra modern 4-storey office building complex hemmed between the present twin office building of the Commission’s Warri-Sapele Road Head Office. This, without doubt, is the signature cum legacy project the current Board is committing to in the re-jigging process, he said.

“The biometrics system is now better synchronized such that as you clock in and out, you can now directly check your clocking data and know your regularity status.

“Our biometric system is a new technology that captures fingerprints and facial recognition.

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“On coming onboard, we upgraded our personnel/payroll system and audit. To plug all loopholes of human factors and infractions, we migrated to an updated personnel payroll system technology. This has led to a rise in the level of transparency as it has largely eliminated human errors and infractions. Our current system enables the generation of pay slips and same transmitted to the E mail boxes of our staff,” the DESOPADEC MD said.

Ogieh, who was excited while reeling out his achievements in the past two years also noted that on assumption of office two years ago, the Board adopted the bottom-up model where communities in it’s mandate areas decide which projects they need, thereby discarding the era of imposition of projects which has been the norm.

He said though they came on board with some low hanging fruits and long term projects, including the tangibles and intangibles, they have been delivering faithfully to their mandate areas.

“We were also confronted with probably the lowest regime in crude oil receipt from the federation account as constitutionally guaranteed. In one word, we were in the trenches, albeit resilient enough to raise our heads above the waters. Our job therefore consisted in redressing these inadequacies in a most creative ambience.

“To the glory of God, we have made remarkable feats in the service delivery mandate to our oil-producing communities in the State, particularly when viewed against the backdrop of the unpredictable challenges that literarily confronted us in the whole of the year 2020 and counting, by way of the global COVID-19 pandemic with its crunch economic effect amongst others,” Ogieh added.

He noted that as one privileged to helm the Commission at this hour, he could say without equivocation that indeed they have continued to etch their names on the development canvass of the area, adding that the collective intervention has remained as exciting as can be.

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“The evidence of undeniable completion and commissioning of community demand-driven projects that continue to upscale and retune our engagement frequency very loud and clear in the mandate areas proves to be encouraging to us.

“Our policy thrust, from the blast of the whistle, was to be all encompassing, including intervention in critical infrastructure in the known sectors of education, health, power, housing, transportation and commerce. In addition, we also resolved to upscale our human capital development in empowering our women with financial muscle as well as creating a window of vocational enhancement for our teeming youth,” Ogieh said.

“Assuredly, DESOPADEC is living to its bidding as the foremost interventionist agency resolutely poised to touch the lives of the people in many aspect and reset the development mode for which it has become known more than a decade ago. And everywhere the commissioning train has berthed in the last two years, it has been with wild and robust appreciation reminiscent of a vibrant Big Heart state that is our beloved Delta.

“We are to this end humbled by our modest but impactful interventions thus far. We owe a debt of gratitude to our Principal, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of our dear State for his immeasurable support and for providing us the enabling environment to offer our contributions that cohere with the Stronger Delta agenda of his administration. All our efforts are therefore inextricably strung to the development template he has provided for all stakeholders in the greater Delta project.

“As we look ahead in the coming months, I assure you all of our unbroken strides that will manifest in more projects inauguration and make life more meaningful to our people. This promise is with every sense of responsibility,” Ogieh added.

Meanwhile, journalist were earlier taken on a tour of some completed projects by the interventionist agency.

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The journalist had visited the DESOPADEC tower located at the head office in Warri South council area, as well as a Modern Library, Ugbuwangue community also in Warri South Local Government Area.

Other projects visited include; the Osubi civic center, Corpers lodge Osubi both in Okpe council Area, the Landscaping of Urhobo house, Uwaimughe, in Ughelli North Council area, the Engineering hostel Oleh campus, the Visiting lecturer’s quarters Oleh Campus, Uzere civic center, Uzere modern market, ongoing construction of Ofagbe – Ibrede Road, all in Isoko South council area, Opute hall Ozoro, Isoko North Council area, Obi Ayama Abavo Road in Ika South council area.

At the second day of the tour journalists, also visited the Construction with full furnishing of Cottage Hospital, Oboghoro/Utonlila, Warri North LGA, Construction of concrete jetty with 300m walkway at Ugbege, Warri North LGA, Construction with full furnishing of Lecturers’ Estate handed over
to the Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Warri South West LGA, Construction with full furnishing of Town Hall, Sokebolou, Burutu LGA, and the the Deforestation and evacuation of woods Stuart creek from Obotobo/Amumugbene to Sekebulo, Burutu LGA.