DESOPADEC Board member dies

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, Bashorun Askia Ogieh, has expressed shock and sadness over the death of one of the board members of the agency, Hon. Joyce Overah.

The late board member, who represented the Urhobo ethnic nationality of Sapele, Ethiope West and Okpe Local Council Areas, died on Tuesday while ill.

“We’ve lost an articulate, passionate and forthright member of our board whose painful passage is hard to imagine. But we are consoled that he demonstrated his passion for his people in very practical ways that are enduring,” Ogieh said.

Ogieh described the death of Overah, a consummate politician and key stakeholder in the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, as a blight on the seamless progressive trajectory of the Board since its inauguration about a year ago by the state Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.

The DESOPADEC helmsman said the late Overah was a trusted and committed Board Member, whose inputs were pro-development for the mandate areas, describing his death as a sad development for all Board Members, management and staff of the Commission.

Ogieh prayed the good Lord to console the family at this very difficult time.

Overah was a former federal lawmaker, having represented the Okpe, Sapele and Uvwie Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives between 2007 and 2011.

He was also a Commissioner of Science and Technology as well as Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Delta State during the first tenure of Governor Okowa between 2015 and 2018.

Overah was among the members of the Board of DESOPADEC inaugurated nearly a year ago by Governor Okowa, where he represented Urhobo ethnic nationality, covering Okpe, Sapele and Ethiope West Council Areas.