Senator Ede Dafinone, representing Delta Central Senatorial District, has unveiled a two-track roadmap for reviving the moribund Delta Steel Company (DSC), Ovwian-Aladja, as part of efforts to stimulate industrialisation, create jobs and expand economic opportunities in the district.
Dafinone disclosed that he had submitted a five-page memorandum to the Federal Government seeking urgent intervention in the long-abandoned steel complex.
The senator made this known during a royal visit to the Ovie of Udu Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Engr. Michael Ogheneovo Orugbo, JP, KP, Okporua I, where he outlined his proposed approach to restoring the industrial facility.
According to Dafinone, the DSC should either undergo a comprehensive technical assessment and be repositioned for steel production or be converted into a modern manufacturing and industrial village if restoring steel production is found to be economically unviable.
He said the decision must be guided by a thorough technical audit to determine the current condition of the plant, the state of its equipment, the extent of any asset removal and the financial feasibility of reviving steel production.
“The truth is that DSC has been severely mismanaged, and past concession deals were flawed,” Dafinone said, stressing that the strategic industrial asset should not be allowed to remain a wasted opportunity.
The senator said the revival of DSC would have significant implications for employment, industrial development and human capital growth in Delta Central and beyond.
‘My Mission Is Not Personal Accumulation’
Dafinone also said his representation was primarily focused on human capital development and creating sustainable economic opportunities for his constituents rather than personal accumulation.
He invoked the legacy of his late father, Senator David Omueya Dafinone, saying he was determined to preserve the reputation his father left behind.
“Acquiring fleets of cars, houses, or private jets is not my mission in life. My late father, Senator David Omueya Dafinone, left me an untarnished name and a formidable reputation that I am duty-bound to uphold,” he said.
He explained that his approach to representation had centred on connecting constituents to opportunities, including federal employment, scholarships, accommodation, contracts and other legitimate interventions.
Dafinone further disclosed that since becoming Chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Character, his office had facilitated federal employment for some constituents within two months.
He attributed the development to the network and access provided by his position in Abuja, which he said could be leveraged to connect constituents with relevant government institutions.
“Through the leverage of my position, I can open almost any door in Abuja. I have no intention of using those opportunities solely for personal gain; if I do not extend those opportunities to my people, they are wasted,” he said.
83 Delta Central Wards Benefit from Projects
The senator also disclosed that constituency interventions had been distributed across Delta Central, with projects reaching 83 of the district’s 85 political wards.
He said the remaining two wards were expected to benefit before the end of the year.
Among the projects he highlighted were a 53-bed student hostel at the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE), a railway halt at Egbo-Urhe in Ughelli South, a maternity ward at Ughelli General Hospital and an Accident and Emergency Ward at Sapele General Hospital.
Dafinone Seeks Urhobo Cultural Preservation
Beyond infrastructure and economic development, Dafinone called for greater efforts to preserve Urhobo culture and identity.
He advocated the documentation and preservation of traditional practices, including kola nut presentation, marriage rites, funeral ceremonies and the Urhobo language.
He also pledged to sponsor the Urhobo Language Competition for the third consecutive year in honour of the late Senator Pius Ewherido, whom he credited with initiating the cultural initiative.
“If our generation fails to codify these traditions now, the generations coming behind us will have no compass,” Dafinone warned, expressing concern over the gradual distortion of some Urhobo cultural practices.
He further urged Urhobo professionals living outside the region to reconnect with their communities and contribute their expertise and resources before retirement.
Udu Monarch Backs DSC Revival Effort
Earlier, the Ovie of Udu Kingdom, HRM Engr. Michael Ogheneovo Orugbo, commended Dafinone’s approach to representation, urging constituents not to assess the senator solely on the basis of financial assistance.
“I would suggest to all of you that you should not base your relationship with him on how much money you can get from him,” the monarch said.
The traditional ruler said Dafinone’s performance should instead be measured by the quality of legislation he supports, the networks he builds and the opportunities he attracts to Udu, Delta Central and the wider Urhobo nation.
The monarch also urged the senator to use his position in the National Assembly to promote gas-based industries in Udu, citing the kingdom’s gas potential and the historic Fortune Gas Plant as examples of the industrial opportunities available in the area.
On DSC, the monarch said the palace had documented alleged cases of asset stripping at the facility and submitted photographic evidence to law enforcement authorities.
“Ten per cent has accrued to the community, but we are not seeing it,” the monarch alleged, while expressing concern about the management and protection of the plant’s core and non-core assets.
He urged Dafinone to collaborate with the Minister of Steel Development and relevant National Assembly committees to protect the interests of host communities and ensure proper management of the industrial assets.
The Ovie also pledged to join Dafinone in engaging the Federal Government and relevant authorities in Abuja on the future of DSC and other economic opportunities in Udu Kingdom.
Offering his royal blessings, the monarch described Dafinone as a technocrat capable of making meaningful contributions to national development.
“We need good people to do good for the nation. We need people like you—technocrats, knowledgeable people with good track records,” he said.
The engagement ended with a call for stronger collaboration between traditional institutions and elected representatives to advance industrial development, human capital investment, job creation and the preservation of Urhobo cultural identity.
