LEADERS of Oviri-Ogor community in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, have sent a ‘Save Our Souls’ to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori over the allege collection of ‘Deve’ that has been banned by the state government years ago.
The leaders, had in a petition to the state government alleged that land developers and investors are scared of community because of the fear of ‘Deve’ as the only means of livelihood for some set of persons in the community.
It would be recalled that in 2018, the Delta State House of Assembly under the speakership of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori while he was the Speaker ban ‘Deve’ collection of any kind in the state as anyone caught would be jailed or fine the sum of One Million naira.
The petition signed by Olorogun Kpuwhara Anthony, Engr Akpotor Orhuerakpor David and Evang Obukowho Egben disclosed that the community is sitting on a time bomb waiting to explode if measure are not taken by the state government.
According to the petition, “A land owner in Oviri-Ogor is charged the sum of N500, 0000 five hundred thousand naira deve for digging a foundation on a 100ft by 50ft parcel of land and a copping level, another N100,000, one hundred thousand is paid before work can continue.
“They provide you with workers and determine how much should be paid for labour on block setting and if the building gets to carpentry work, another N100,000 is paid as ‘deve’ and the developer is is forcefully given a labourers and they also decides how much to the paid to the workers.
“At every stage of the building process, there is a ‘Deve’ committee such as Roofing, Plastering, Tiling, Electricity, Painting, Ceiling /POP committees amongst others.
“Knocking on the door of the chairman is to commence work at any site is with N100,000 and if one did not comply to their term, such victims would be locked up in their cell awaiting to be bailed.
“In the light of the above, we are therefore constrained to kindly request from you to use your good office to intervene in this by calling on the authorities involved to order and set up a judicial panel of inquiry to probe these activities before our community and her people are completely wiped out from the face of the earth.”
