DESOPADEC Targets Skill Expansion, Community Impact in 2026

The Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) has unveiled plans to scale up its Skill Academy programme as part of its core development agenda for 2026. The initiative is expected to play a central role in youth empowerment and community growth across oil-producing areas of the state.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the commission, Chief Festus Ochonoghor, spoke in Warri after the board’s first Executive Board meeting of the year, where members assessed the commission’s 2025 performance and outlined priorities for the coming year.

According to him, while the 2025 budget yielded visible progress, the focus for 2026 will shift toward completing ongoing projects and ensuring that new interventions deliver direct benefits to host communities. He noted that sustainability and responsiveness to community needs would guide project execution.

Ochonoghor identified the Skill Academy as a major tool for human capital development, targeting youths and women with practical, market-ready skills that support entrepreneurship and job creation. He added that preparations for the next training cycle are already underway, with implementation expected to commence before the end of February.

He further stated that DESOPADEC will strengthen engagement with beneficiaries, standardise operational procedures in line with government benchmarks, and invest in staff training and discipline. Ochonoghor also acknowledged Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s ₦8.4 billion bailout, which enabled the settlement of contractor debts and paved the way for the commissioning of completed projects later this month.