From Onoriode Etatsemi
The Chairman of Sapele Local Government Council, Mr Eugene Okpe Unoaghoan and the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development m, Mrs Oghenekevwe Agas have called on Nigerians and Corporate Organisations to support the development efforts of Rotary Club of Sapele Urban in District 9141.
The Sapele Council Chairman and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development who received the renovated building projects at the Amukpe Health Center and the Children Correctional Center in Gana-Sapele from the Rotary Club of Sapele Urban respectively, expressed their profound appreciation to the Rotary Club of Sapele Urban, District 9141 for their humanitarian activities since their operations began in the area.
The Chairman of Sapele Local Government ably represented at the premises of Amukpe Health Centre, by Dr Kingsley Erabor Abeke, the Medical Officer of Health Department of the Sapele Local Government Council expressed his amazement at the laudable achievements of the Rotary Club of Sapele Urban “The Rotary Club International will always set the bar. Today, this is another project they have done to raise the bar. I am indeed grateful to them for these projects.”
“I am also grateful to them for the support we got from them during this Covid 19 PANDEMIC period. I want to thank them too for partnering with us in the journey against polio eradication. Remember that some weeks ago, Nigeria was certified polio free by (World Health Organisation). The Rotary Club was always at the front line with us throughout the struggle. I also want to thank them very much for this, while I use this same opportunity to invite Nigerians to support Rotary work in Nigeria and here in Sapele in particular” He further stated.
The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development, Mrs Agas during her speech commended the efforts of the Rotary Club of Sapele Urban for identifying with these projects and further observed that the children Correctional Centre (formerly known as Remand Home) is one place people do not even remember of its existence.
She added “Rotary is geared towards improving society. You have done a lot with what I have seen. The project is endouring. it focuses on Disease Prevention and Treatment. If this place is preventable, it will help the society the more. It does not make sense bringing children here and at the end, they carry diseases back home. I call on spirited individuals and corporate organisations to help government in ensuring that the society is a better place”.
Rotarian Henry Okorodudu, the Chartered President of the Rotary Club of Sapele Urban; the current President, Rotarian Julius Eguvwebere, the President Elect, Rotarian Roseline Agogo in their separate speeches at both venues of the event commended spirited persons, organizations and individuals whose contributions have significantly assisted in transforming the lives of the needy in the society just as they appealed for more membership so that they could progress faster. “The more we are the merrier it becomes. ” they stated.
Rtn Okorodudu said “we must do the duty that is placed on us by Rotary International to reach out to our communities in any way we can, to do the best to help those that require assistance and that is one of the reasons we are here. Our Areas of Focus are Water and Sanitation, Disease Prevention and Treatment, Basic Education and Literacy, Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution, Economic and Community Development, Maternal and Child Health, and Keeping the Environment. ”
“We as Rotarians come together, put our resources together for this purpose especially these projects we are commissioning today at the Health Centre and the Children Correctional Centre. We are also using this medium to call on other fellow members here, Nigerians, Sapele people that are here to consider been part of Rotary International.” He added.
The president Rotary Club of Sapele Urban, Rotn Julius Eguvwebere further highlighted that Rotary Club is all about doing good and affecting the lives of the people in our communities and that everyone in the society has a right to belong to this humanitarian group as it is non political and non religious organisation, remarking that their motives is tailored towards making the society a better place from where one met it.
The Immediate Past President, Rotn Adidi revealed that “at the moment, in our District, District 9141 as we speak, we have over ninety clubs and so many are coming up. Our sole aim is to make communities a better place by bettering the life of our people. In Sapele, we have impacted the lives of the people through water projects, Community based projects, donations to orphanage homes, empowerment, road signs, donation of sanitation materials etc. During the Covid 19 saga, lots of Palliatives were distributed to homes and health centres to reduce the spread of the Pandemic and hardship amongst residents in Sapele, etc. ”
He ended by inviting individuals to be part of Rotary as Rotary continues to put smiles on the faces of the people, “We can not do all these laudable projects alone. We need more members irrespective of what you do for a living. And we must not rest on our oars. We are going to do more. That is what the president has told me. You are all welcome to Rotary Club”. He added!
The project Chairman, Rtn Joshua Omonkhukpon who conducted the people around the completed projects sites at both venues revealed that his committee worked on the seven areas of focus but they discovered that these ones that they have embarked upon will have more impact on the people as it concerns two of the areas of focus (Disease Prevention and Treatment/Water and Sanitation) so they decided to go into it immediately after the approval by the Rotarian President and his Board.
“I thought of where to start from, but when we discovered that they were more projects to do, and that this place is already been abandoned and people are still here working, we thought about the paintings, mosquito nets, broken ceilings and others. As soon as we were given approval, we swung into action and before you know it, we were done with the task. All these will boost the confidence of those working here that this place is neat and conducive for human habitation. As a Rotarian, I believe our duty is to serve the people. ”
Highpoints of the event were the handing over of a complete rehabilitated health center at Amukpe with mosquito nettings on windows, new shower systems, water connecting system to the toilets cistern; the renovation and repainting of the facilities at the Health Center and the Children Correctional Center Gana -Sapele to the Chairman of Sapele Local Government Area, Mr Unoaghoan and the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Women Affairs Community and Social Development, Mrs Oghenekevwe Agas.
Also, was the immediate resolve by the Rotary Club of Sapele Urban regarding treatment of a resident as well as the provision of free treatment for the Juvenile Delinquents at the Delta State Children Correctional Center throughout this year; the provision of a nurse for the Center; and the induction of a prominent and quality personality in the society, Dr Ugo Ahueke to the Rotary Club of Sapele Urban, who is now a bona-fide member of the Rotary International.