The members of the newly constituted Board of the Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ISOPADEC) and the Management Team on Wednesday, July 24, 2019, concluded a three day induction and orientation workshop with the theme: “ISOPADEC: Leadership for Result-Oriented Development”.
The workshop which began on Monday, July 22 and ended on Wednesday, July 24, was held at the prestigious Crystal Lake Hotel, Oguta. It also had in attendance the Chairman of the Interim Management Committee of Oguta Local Government Area, Hon. Hilary Eberendu, and his counterpart for Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area, Hon. Damian Ezeru, traditional rulers from the two oil producing local governments, youth and woman leaders.
Declaring the workshop open, the Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Gerald Irona, who represented the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, called on the Board and Management of ISOPADEC to adhere strictly to the law setting up the Commission, saying that the workshop was aimed at exposing the new Board members and Management to the herculean responsibilities confronting them.
He warned that the state government would not tolerate any act of lawlessness and lackluster attitude to responsibilities, even as he called on the members of the Board and the Management Team to uphold the vision of the Rebuild Imo administration which is built on the rule of law, due process, transparency and accountability.
He noted that the need to reposition the Commission arose from the desire of the Governor to ensure that the Commission was up and doing towards addressing the needs of the people. He tasked the Board and Management to come up with new ideas on how to serve the people better, saying that the Commission should lead the revolution in agriculture.
“ISOPADEC should lead the agricultural revolution in the oil producing communities. We must encourage our people to participate in the agricultural revolution and become the catalyst for the economic growth and development of the people.
“Our people are looking up to you. They are in a hurry to see you record successes. The old way of doing things in ISOPADEC is gone. Our people won’t like to hear that ISOPADEC funds are being shared or stolen. The state government will ensure that you are well remunerated and the Commission well funded”, he said.
The Deputy Governor was accompanied to the workshop by the Governor’s Special Adviser on Politics, Hon. Jones Onyereri, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Inter-Party Affairs, Hon. Jeff Ojinika, among others.
Also speaking during the workshop, the Managing Director of the Commission, Engineer Anthony Okwuosha, said that members of the Board and Management Team are committed to making impacts in the life of the people, assuring that the Commission is determined to providing quality projects in the communities.
He said: “We will not disappoint the government and the people that have reposed so much trust in us. The expectations are high considering how ISOPADEC had been run in the last eight years.
“We will meet the expectations of the people and the government. We are committed to impacting on the people positively. We will ensure that we render quality services and execute quality projects for our people”.
Some of the guest lecturers that delivered lectures during the workshop were: Mr. Anthony Ubani, Prof Verla Andrew Wirnkor, Prof Okee Okoro, Ogbuagu Ernest Nwapa, Prof Emilia Ezenwa, among others.
Signed:
Collins Ughalaa,
S.A. Media and Communication to the M.D.
ISOPADEC