Delta State Governor, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, Friday, said the journey leading to the full rebirth of Sapele, once a hub of high heel economic activities, had begun with the construction of over 15km of internal roads in the ancient city.
Oborevwori disclosed this at the maiden re-union and business summit organised by the Sapele Memories Development Foundation at the Sapele Athletics Club.
Represented by the State Commissioner for Works (Rural and Riverine Roads), Governor Oborevwori said his administration had taken some sure steps to revamp infrastructure in the ancient city with a view to providing an enabling environment for its sustainable economic rebirth by sustainable growth and development.
He commended organisers of the Sapele Memories Development Foundation for the initiative which, he said, aligned with his administration’s vision for one Delta.
He said: “Your gathering today is seen as part of your agenda that the government is pushing forward to create opportunities for all.
“I can see individuals who belong to different political parties and different religious persuasions bound together and gathered here in the spirit of Sapele.
“It is part of the vision of Governor Oborevwori to build one Delta; with all intents and purposes we are looking forward to a state where all of us can gather, irrespective of our different political persuasions.
“By the grace of God, I have been saddled with the responsibility of supervising some of the roads we are doing in Sapele at the moment.”
On the Okirighwre-Benin Road, Aniagwu said the contract for the road had been awarded and would be completed between now and May next year.
According to him, “we are looking forward to a state where all of us can gather to move our state forward, irrespective of our political differences.
“Oborevwori knows the developmental needs of Sapele and I can tell you that, in our quest to revamp infrastructure in Sapele, we have awarded contracts for the construction of over 15km of internal roads.
“To fast track the construction of these roads, we have provided mobilisation, as much as 40 per cent in some cases, to the various contractors we have given these different jobs.
“So, I can assure you that the development of Sapele again has begun and that by the time we complete some of the projects, Sapele will become better than you used to know.
“We are doing it because we want to provide the enabling environment for businesses to thrive again which is also part of what you are doing which is very commendable.
“It is always better for the private sector to thrive so that employment opportunities can be boosted because government alone cannot provide the much needed employment opportunities for all.”
He explained that the Oborevwori administration was not actively working in Sapele alone but across the three Senatorial districts in the state.
“We are ensuring that our communities connect with each other so that our kits and kins can interrelate with one another and we are also fast tracking the construction of the Ughelli-Asaba Expressway.”
On security and the development of the area, Aniagwu appealed to the leaders to ‘keep talking to our brothers and sisters’ to make them understand that peace and security has a very good relationship with economic development.
“If you are not able to have peace and ensure security, it becomes much more difficult to attract development to such societies.”
Chairman of the occasion, Professor Sam Oyovbaire, lauded Professor Hope Eghagha for mooting the idea of the Sapele renaissance, a unique story of a reunion of Safarians ( residents of Sapele) and business summit.
He urged Safarians to remain united, adding that Sapele needed a serious face-lift. He said: “Let’s think of what we can do to make Sapele better. Sapele deserves a higher institution, possibly a university, industry and economic activities.”
The Orodje of Okpe, HRM Maj Gen. Felix Mujakperuo (rtd), Orhue I, commended the people for charting the way forward for Sapele town and charged them to address the challenge of insecurity in the area in order to return the town to its lost glory.
Chief Ighoyota Amori, a PDP faithful, in his keynote address, recalled the glory days of Sapele from the 1800s when the city was booming with development from the second largest timber company in the world, (the now moribund African Timber and Plywood, A T and P) among others, that made Sapele unique in terms of industrialisation.
Welcoming guests earlier, the President of the Sapele Memories Development Foundation, Professor Hope Eghagha, said the idea of the reunion was to give back to a city that made them what they had all become.
He said Sapele was a “melting pot” in the absence of ethnic dichotomy, adding “that is the Sapele we want to recreate”.
He said they had carried out a total of 57 free surgeries in the last one week, saying that they would support schools in the city by inspiring hope among the youths and thanked Governor Oborevwori, traditional rulers and stakeholders for their support.
The event was attended by the Ovie of Idjere Kingdom, HRM Monday Obukohwo Whisky, Udurhie 1, among other dignitaries.