The President General of Oleh community, Isoko South local government area of Delta state, James Obeuwou, aka Jimmy Jay is said to have been enmeshed in N13.7 million and employment scam. Mr. Obeuwou, it was alleged to be running the affairs of the community as a personal estate to the detriment of the entire community.
According to an impeccable source in the community who pleaded for anonymity, the embattled President General, allegedly duped the people of Oleh community of several millions of naira through the renovation of the town’s civil centre.
It was however learnt that the contract sum for the community town hall which was agreed and put at N5 million was fraudulently jacked up by the President General, Mr. Obeuwou, to the tune of N13.7 million with the renovation poorly executed.
“Actually, the initial contract sum for the renovation of the interior parts of the Oleh Civic Centre was agreed upon for M5 million but the President General who has penchant for corrupt and fraudulent practices jacked up the contract sum of the renovated to N13.7 million with the job done very poorly. Outside the roofing of the front part of the Town Hall and its painting, one can hardly find what our funds were expended on.
“This is outside other financial misconduct and mismanagement that the Oleh community President General, Chief James Obeuwou has involved himself in. Before becoming the community President General, Obeuwou was almost dead financially but immediately he was elected into the office, he came back to life.” our source said.
HardReporters reliably gathered that the community leader, Mr. Obeuwou is also allegedly involved in employment scam, robbing the entire community off its employment chances by allegedly trading off the chances obliged the community.
It was learnt that of recent, about 111 job slots were given to Olomoro, Emede and Oleh communities by an oil company, Heritage Oil and Gas operating in the area, but surprisedly, Oleh Community with over 20 Wells got only one slot of the employment from the 111 slots.
Our correspondent gathered that, the embattled President General after allegedly selling over 30 slots given to the Oleh community, he reserved a slot for his daughter.
Meanwhile series of controversy have continued to trail the employment scam with indigenes accusing Mr. Obeuwou of selling off job slots accrued to the community.
“Until public clarification is made, I want to believe that Chief James Obeuwou, Jimmy Jay sold our slots for his selfish interests, leaving only one slot, which he has reserved and ceded to his own daughter. This is a clear disregard to the general interest of the Oleh people and the most selfish and shameful act we have seen in Oleh Community lately. Leadership is never an avenue to squander what belongs to the generality of the people on personal lust and ego.
“Chief James Obeuwou should explain to Oleh Community what he did with our share of employment. He should tell us why he felt his own daughter is in the right position to take the only one slot he managed to reserve. I want to reiterate that as Oleh President General, Chief James Obeuwou has sworn to protect, project, defend and serve the interests of the Oleh people. Such interests must be the dominating factor in any decision making process and negotiation. Trading our welfare and future to satisfy insatiable appetite because one has the power to bargain or appropriate is totally unacceptable.
‘The attitude of always taking Oleh aback by Community leaders must be discontinued. We cannot finished gathering in public places fasting and praying for progress and against saboteurs and then the leaders of such precious session become the new enemies of progress and saboteurs. All well meaning Oleh sons and daughters should begin to demand for transparency and accountability. This is not the time to be quiet.” an angered indigene stated.
All efforts to reach the Oleh community President General, Mr. Obeuwou for comments were not successful as at the time of filing in this report.
