Hon. Victor Egbo, the Commissioner representing the Isoko Ethnic Nationality in the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), has withdrawn his previous allegations of conspiracy and bribery against Mrs. Bridget Onojareme, the Principal of St. Michael College in Oleh.
Commissioner’s Apology and Praises
During a project inspection at the school, accompanied by the DESOPADEC Executive Director of Projects and other community stakeholders, Commissioner Egbo stated:
“We have equally done our investigation that the allegations made against the Principal of the school, Mrs. Bridget Onojareme, are false. The contractor was only trying to cause confusion between the Board of DESOPADEC, the Oleh Community, and the School.”
He further extended an apology to Mrs. Onojareme:
“I am apologizing to the principal for the false allegation leveled against her, which I stand to correct. The contractor must apologize to the Principal of the school for telling lies against her.”
Commissioner Egbo also commended Mrs. Onojareme’s dedication:
“I am passing a vote of confidence on the Principal of St. Michael College, Oleh, Mrs. Bridget Onojareme, because of her proactiveness; she is so active and so concerned about the well-being of the school, welfare of students, teachers, and youth corpers serving in the school.”
Addressing Substandard Construction Work
The Commissioner expressed concerns over the quality of recent construction work at the school, particularly the roofing:
“The roofing sheets of the classroom blocks are not looking good; this is not how it ought to be. The Governor Oborevwori-led administration is known for standard and quality jobs.”
He issued a directive to the contractor:
“I have directed the contractor to go back to site and deroof the building and replace the roofing sheet with new ones, because we will not accept a substandard job. If the contractor refuses to do it within the next two weeks, the contract will be revoked. Other jobs given to him have been revoked and re-awarded to another contractor as a result of substandard job done.”
DESOPADEC’s Commitment to Quality
Dr. Ebenezer Okorodudu, the Executive Director of Projects at DESOPADEC, praised Commissioner Egbo’s commitment to quality and accountability:
He condemned the attitude of the contractor and redirected the contractor to go back to work and do the job to standard and specifications.
Principal’s Perspective
Mrs. Bridget Onojareme, who assumed her role in 2022, highlighted the challenges faced by the school:
“I cried out to some stakeholders of Oleh community. As luck would have it, one of the illustrious sons of the community, Hon. Victor Egbo, was made a Commissioner representing Isoko Ethnic Nationality in DESOPADEC.”
She identified the school’s primary issues as:
- Lack of furniture
- Dilapidated buildings
- Absence of fencing, leading to students leaving the premises during school hours
This incident shows the importance of thorough investigations before making public allegations and also highlights DESOPADEC’s dedication to maintaining high standards in its projects.
The collaborative efforts between the commission and school administration shows the aim to enhance the educational environment for the students of St. Michael College, Oleh.
