Paul Osuyi, Asaba
A former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, on Tuesday, advised incumbent governors of the South-South region not to give up on the agitation to have the country restructured.
South-South governors met recently in Port Harcourt, Rivers State where they renewed the agitation for restructuring as well as called on the Federal Government to give oil producing states the 13% of the proposed $1 billions to be drawn from excess crude account.
Ibori said he has been watching the actions of the South-South governors on the issue restructuring, adding that he was impressed, and said “I have no doubt that you will take the battle of restructuring to the finished line.”
Speaking at the commissioning of the reconstructed ultra modern market with 1,582 shops in Sapele, Ibori thanked the South-South governors for their stand on restructuring, and implored them to ensure that the matter is brought to a logical conclusion.
Ibori said he was sentimentally attached to the market which was initially built by Samuel Ogbemudia of the defunct Midwest State but got razed in 2005 when he (Ibori) was governor of Delta State, explaining that because of its huge economic potentials, his administration immediately started the reconstruction.
“I have very emotional sentiments about this market. My mother had a stall here, and when the then council chairman, Igbuya told me that the market was gutted by fire, I moved quickly to restore it because I used to come here to see my mother,” Ibori said.
Commissioning the market, Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson said he was challenged to replicate the same project in his state, and thanked his Delta State counterpart, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa for completing the market, which he noted, would boost economic potentials of the entire Niger Delta region.
Dickson who earlier commissioned the dualised access road to Jesse and the Boboroku road in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State, urged Deltans to continue to support the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Governor Okowa.
Addressing the traders, Governor Okowa said his administration will complete all projects started by his predecessors, adding that the the ultra modern market will be freely handed over to the authorities of the Sapele Local Government Area for management.
Commissioner for Finance, David Edevwie had described Sapele as the economic hub of the Niger Delta region, adding that the market was the centre of the hub.
Edevwie stated that it was unfortunate that “the market was gutted by fire in 2005,” adding that when Ibori started the reconstruction, 22% completion was achieved while the immediate past administration of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan achieved additional 26% completion, and that the present administration of Okowa completed the project.
