Udu People gives DESOPADEC 7 days to address alleged marginalization.

ANGRY youths of Udu , Udu Local Government Area in Delta State, have given the state government a seven-day ultimatum to address alleged marginalization of the area in the reconstitution of the board of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, or they would shut down oil wells in their location.They said the state government has not appointed any Udu indigene as commissioner or head of department in the oil commission since establishment, whereas Ughelli South and Uvwie in the same bloc have served on the board with Ughelli South re-appointed when Udu has not taken a bite. The union made the challenge in a letter dated September 1, to the Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, signed by the chairman, Comrade Sunday Subi.Their words, “We hereby issue a seven-day ultimatum to the state government to wade into this matter and reverse this ugly trend in the interest of equity, peace and justice. The hallmark of the present administration is prosperity for all Deltans and not prosperity for a section of the state.” “In the face of the unprovoked marginalization of the Udu people in matters relating to DESOPADEC, we the Udu people, particularly the youths who, hitherto, have conducted ourselves in the most dignifying and law abiding manner have clearly realized that our simplicity is being mistaken for cowardice. We may have to pick up the gauntlet to prove to all and sundry that we are no fools, to rescue Udu from this wantonly wicked marginalization.” They asserted, “We, therefore, use this medium to call on your good self to reverse this trend, otherwise, we the good people of Udu and indeed the youths shall resort to self help by shutting down all oil wells and installations in Udu as a first step to register our grievances.” The group warned, “This may be our last communication with you and the government of Delta state on the above subject matter except our request is acceded to within the shortest possible time. We refuse to be second- class citizen in any guise, just as we reject the yoke of hewers of wood and fetchers of water for others in Delta state.”