Oborevwori Elevates Delta on the Global Stage as Oil & Infrastructure Drive Development
Oborevwori Elevates Delta on the Global Stage as Oil & Infrastructure Drive Development
By Prince Agbedeyi O. D
Edited by Evang. Prtess Seigha Dora Ayedi
Walking the World Stage in Macao
When Governor Sheriff Oborevwori strode into the cavernous halls of the 16th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum (IIICF) in Macao, China, Delta State’s crest walked in with him. Beside Taraba’s Kefas Agbu and an ensemble of global movers—ministers, financiers, engineers—Oborevwori made it clear: Delta’s days of watching from the margins are over. From now on, the oil‑rich state intends to compete, collaborate and contribute on a worldwide canvas.
Backed by Works (Rural Roads) Commissioner Charles Aniagwu and Technical
Assistant Bob Nakpodia, the governor pitched Delta’s infrastructure
blueprint—smart roads, resilient bridges, green‑energy corridors—to an audience spanning
3,500 delegates from 70 nations. His message was unambiguous:
“Delta is open for business.”
Blueprint of a “New Delta”
Oborevwori’s Macao manifesto intertwined three pillars: quality infrastructure, environmental stewardship and inclusive prosperity. By courting new‑age investors and championing “build‑clean, build‑once” standards, he positioned Delta to tap multi‑billion‑dollar financing streams that typically bypass sub‑national governments.
Oil & Gas: Victories on the Home Front
Back home, the governor’s focus has been equally intense. In Warri South‑West’s
Gbaramatu Kingdom, Kuri Well 2—operated by SHN Energy—nears completion.
Once the taps open, production is forecast to spike, swelling state revenue and unlocking
jobs across the creeks. Oborevwori calls it
“a symbol of what is possible in a peaceful, innovative Delta.”
His crisis‑management chops are already legendary. A threatened shutdown at Otumara Flow Station (OML 42)—20,000 bpd at stake—was quietly defused. A decade‑long tussle over Well 9 (OML 30) between Otor‑Owhe and Olomoro communities? Settled. Similarly, friction over an Independent Power Plant in Uzere melted into an agreement that grants the host community two years of free gas.
Conflict Resolution as Statecraft
From stabilising the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union to brokering better wages for NPDC/ND Western contract workers in Udu and Ughelli, Oborevwori’s team has recast Government House, Asaba, as a reliable arbitration chamber. Even surveillance disputes on the OML 26 pipeline found a handshake solution under his watch.
These victories fed into a coveted feather: the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources’ 2024 plaque for “Safest State for Oil and Gas Investments in Nigeria.”
The Host Community Dividend
Delta also sprinted ahead on the Petroleum Industry Act’s Host Community Development Trusts. Landmark accords with Egbema / Chevron and OML 147 (PANOCEAN) sealed revenue retention for locals, tying infrastructure upgrades directly to production output and peace.
Building Tomorrow, Today
Whether addressing boundary skirmishes or launching rural road grids, the administration’s governing philosophy is clear: Peace fuels investment; investment fuels prosperity. From Macao’s conference floors to Makaraba’s drilling platforms, Oborevwori’s Delta is scripting an audacious tale—one road, one oil well, one handshake at a time.
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