We need more funds – ASOPADEC Boss tells RAMFC

The General Manager, Abia State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ASOPADEC), Ven. (Dr.) Joshua Onyeike says an upward review of the oil derivation fund to the agency will bring about effective tackling of the peculiarity of problems and development needs of the oil producing communities.

Receiving a delegation from the Revenue Allocation Mobilization and Fiscal Commission( RAMFC) led by the Federal Commissioner representing Abia State in the Commission, Mrs. Nkechi Linda Oti in his office, Dr Onyeike noted that ASOPADEC as an interventionist Agency requires more funding to continue in complementing the transformational efforts of Governor Alex Otti in the state.

The ASOPADEC Boss who reiterated the commitment of the Commission to the rapid transformation of oil producing areas in tandem with the developmental policy of Governor Alex Otti revealed that the Commission will soon embark on rehabilitation of electricity in Asa land and training of youths in various skills.

While thanking Governor Otti for empowering the Commission in its intervention activities, Venerable Onyeike highlighted some achievements of his leadership in the Commission to include: construction of civic centres including the befitting Asa Civic Centre, renovation and retrofitting of many public schools, reconstruction of roads, awards of scholarship to indigent students, reconstruction of market stalls, drilling of borehole projects, distribution of Agric inputs among others.

He described the visit of the Federal Commissioner and her team as remarkable in the annals of the Commission’s history and assured the Federal Commissioner that his Commission will leverage on her good office to better the lots of oil producing areas and other parts of the state.

In her speech, the leader of the delegation and Federal Commissioner representing Abia State in the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Mrs. Nkechi Linda Otti, explained that her visit was to familiarize with relevant stakeholders in the state government with a view to seeking collaborative effort geared towards moving the state forward.

The Federal Commissioner, while describing Governor Otti as a team player who has done well in the governance of the state, added that the Governor needs every support from her office for the overall interest of the state.

Contributing, the Director, State Office on Local Governments in the Commission, Mrs. Florence Oko and the Administrative Secretary in charge of Abia and Imo States, Mrs. Elizabeth Okafor underscored the need for a seamless working relationship between the office of the Abia representative in RMAFC and ASOPADEC and decried the low oil production in Abia which they attributed largely to acts of vandalism.