•Seven ways to rekindle oil city – Origho, WRI; Flyovers, metro lines critical – Gbenekama

By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South

RESIDENTS of Warri, a former “provisional headquarters” and commercial capital of Delta State, literally abandoned by past and successive governments, have defined the post for the Governor-Elect of the state, Rt. Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, barely a month to his assumption of office.

 Really, the deterioration of the Oil City once home to oil companies and other businesses in its glorious years has become a source of worry to the inhabitants, who felt the need to put the governor-elect, a certified Warri boy, and home-breed politician on notice ahead of his swearing-in, May 29.

 The alert is to avoid a repeat of the past, which had made many Warri stakeholders wonder about the complex that made previous governors neglect the development of Warri when they stepped into the seat of power at Government House, Asaba.

 In conformity with their local parlance, “Warri nor dey carry last,” the stakeholders do not want to sit down and watch for another four years,  while very important development passes over them, therefore, they have chosen to set an agenda for Oborevwori.

Basic tips to transform Warri — Origho, WRI

The Publicity secretary of the Warri Rebirth Initiative, WRI, a non-political organization devoted to restoring the lost glory of Warri and rebuilding a greater Warri, Mr. O. P Origho, informed Saturday Vanguard of the socio-economic activities /projects that would transform Warri if implemented in the short, medium, and long-term.

Membership of the group is drawn from Ijaw, Itsekiri, Urhobo, Isoko, Anioma, Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, and other ethnic nationalities, all known as Wafarians  (residents of Warri). The bond that holds them is that they all reside, work in Warri, and want it built near the status of the state capital.  Origho elaborated: “First, there is the need to create avenues for the various ethnic groups in the area to produce their shared visions and values that will promote harmonious living in the Warri space. This would reduce the trust deficit amongst the people and their government.”

“Second is the upgrade of existing security structures and creating new ones to ensure law and order in the area. Government should vest these bodies with information-gathering systems that police and security agencies would use to secure lives and properties. The serious threats in the area now are cultism, armed robbery, kidnapping, communal conflict, vandalism, oil theft, etc.

“Thirdly, there is a need for aggressive educational development in the area to address the issue of human capital. This will make it possible to train youths to adapt to the environment and tailor educational curricula to motivate people in the area to attitudinal change for the benefit of society.

“Fourthly, the incoming- governor should create structures that would make the youths participate in the process of governance, as leaders of tomorrow and partners in progress. The link created by youth engagement would surely absorb the shocks of unpalatable policies that are good in nature.

“Policies of government should always have job contents in the public and private sectors. It should provide empowerment and skill acquisition centers for increased productivity and employment. An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.

“Fifthly is infrastructural development in education, health, transport, and environmental sectors. These structures would aid in no small measure in enhancing the dividends of democracy in their respective areas. There should be standard health care services; more decent old people’s homes, orphanages, rehabilitation centers, and a central bus, ferry, and train system. Good roads, streetlights, drainage paved walkways and overhead bridges, well-planned and controlled parking lots.

“Sixth is the need for urban renewal in areas that are ghettos and slums. This will change the psyche of the people concerned from ‘street’ culture to a more decent and purposeful lifestyle. This will reduce crime and criminal activities.

“Finally, environmental sanitation ensures clean and healthy habitat, there is a need for a good central water sewage system. Efficient waste disposal recycle system for the clean and healthy area.”

Realization of Osubi airport, metro lines, IPP

Going to specifics on  the infrastructural prerequisites, he said: “The realization of the International Airport at Osubi initially planned and surveyed in 1971/72 and included in the Federal Budget for execution since 1972/73; A  new international- standard Sports Stadium that can take traffic from Benin (in the West), Asaba (in the North) and Port Harcourt and Bayelsa (in the East).”

“Promoting and expanding usage of the Seaports at Warri, Sapele, Koko, and Ovwian-Aladja (by the Delta Steel Company, DSC) as well as other maritime activities; Construction of metro-lines to convey passengers and goods within the Warri area.

“Construction of Enerhen – Opete Bridge, and access road to link Agbarho through Otokutu; Rehabilitation and maintenance of Udu Bridge; Realization of the Warri Industrial/Business Park and its satellite Ovwian-Aladja Industrial Park, opposite the DSC; Modern dual-carriageway road transport infrastructure within the Warri metropolis and linkages to the North, East, and West of Nigeria.

“Procurement of an Export Processing Zone for the Ovwian-Aladja Satellite Industrial Park served by the DSC Seaports at Ovwian-Aladja; Full development and operation of heavy industries in Warri and environs, covering the Integrated steel production plant at Ovwian-Aladja; Refineries and petro-chemicals, including the Carbon Black Plant at Ekpan.

“Establishment of an Independent Power Plant around the Oleri River as was earlier planned by the adjacent Delta Steel Company, to serve the Steel Complex, the Satellite Ovwian-Aladja Industrial Park, and Warri Area; International tourism facilities such as an International Hotel, Conference Centre, Amphi-theatre, Event Centre, Park, and Garden.

“Creation and maintenance of an ICT hub; Modern markets and well-planned shopping malls to avoid street trading; Shore-protection and sand filling of the coastal parts of the state; Partnership with Federal Government and Chevron Nigeria Limited to realize the Escravos Gas Project and Export Processing Zone at Ogidigben.

“Development of new towns in Warri and environs opposite DSC, Pessu Island, and Waterfront around Market Road, Warri; Creation of adequate dump sites and recycling sites.”

Warri requires flyovers, an effective drainage system – Gbenekama,

 An Ijaw leader and Fiyewei of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West local government area, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, told Saturday Vanguard: 

“Oborevweri should first try and bring back the peace in the oil city of Warri by first concentrating on security and ethnic harmony  amongst the major tribes in Warri.”

 ”This would bring back the nightlife everyone is craving for. He should also construct proper drainages that would reduce flooding in the city and its environs, including his Osubi community, which is always flooded with very little rain.

 ”He should also look for solutions to the continued traffic congestion in the city by revamping existing roads in and around Warri, which are in a very bad state. Successive administrations never gave Warri the desired attention.

 ”They may have tried but there is serious room for improvement. Warri is in dire need of overhead bridges that would ease the traffic situation. Management of traffic in the Effurun roundabout, Petroleum Training Institute, PTI, Junction, and other strategic locations by the construction of flyovers in designated areas would help.

 ”Above all, he should concentrate on bringing back Warri’s lost glory because I see him as one who should understand the ‘street’.

 ”As the Fiyewei of the Gbaramatu kingdom, I would like to conclude by saying that he should build on what his predecessor has done for the riverine people.

 ”The Oporoza- Ubefan road that Governor Okowa promised to start as a parting gift to HRM, Oboro -Gbaraun 11, the Pere of Gbaramatu kingdom, which he could not due to the exigencies of the time readily comes to mind.”

 Bring monarchs together to address the issue of Warri – Mumakai-Unagha  

An opinion leader and legal practitioner, Alhaji Mumakai-Unagha, “On the social-political front, the governor-elect being a Warri boy must hit the ground running by bringing the Olu of Warri, the Ovie of Agbarha and the Orosue of Okere Urhobo together on a common ground to address the issue of Warri.”

“In doing so, the Ovie of Uvwie, as well as the Orodje of Okpe, must be carried along so that there should be a synergy for these prominent traditional rulers to brainstorm on how Warri can be great again.

“It is very regrettable that all the oil companies have relocated from the area because of the self-afflicted disunity. I said some time ago that the relocation of the oil companies from the areas was a conspiracy, not because of the internal dispute. It was a conspiracy that our people were not aware of or intellectually envisaged, they took them unaware.

“Once there is synergy amongst these rulers, speedy development will take place. He should gear efforts toward bringing all the oil companies back to the city. The era of I am the owner of Warri has gone because Warri belongs to all of us. Yes, I recognize the fact that Warri belongs to people even though we are born and brought up in the city.

“Regrettably being the oldest colonial headquarters in the country has become a shadow of its own because of national conspiracy,” he said.