Amgbare Ekaunkumo,Yenagoa
The government of Senator Douye Diri of Bayelsa State was birthed following the Supreme Court judgement sacking the governor-elect Mr. David Lyon as a result of certificate discrepancies observed by the Independent National Eelectoral Commission, INEC form in the 2019 gubernatorial election.
The verdict then thrown most Bayelsans especially APC supporters into a sorrowful mood in February 14, 2020 being the World Valentine day, not knowing the numerous benefits that come with it. One major benefit behind the verdict was that a messiah was giving to transform the landscape of Bayelsa State, and since then He has been displaying an egalitarian nature who give no preference to executionof life-changing projects which are scattered across the nooks and crannies of the state.
Available statistics showed that the Prosperity Government has achieved tremendously ranging from tangible to intangible sectors of the economy such as infrastructure to education, health, sports, youth and women empowerment, human capacity development, urban renewal, promotion of peace, reconciliation and unity as well as worker-to-people oriented policies and programs. The governor continues to write his name in the Golden Book of record.
There is a biblical connotation that says when the righteous rule the people rejoice, this proverb is replicated in Bayelsa within just two years of reins of governance of the state, Senator Douye Diri, has remained stoic in his avowed commitment to changing the developmental landscape of the 25-year-old state.
The governor has demonstrated the leadership of inclusion irrespective of political affiliation, economy status. He has redefined the political system of Bayelsa State by moving away from the old fashion ways of politics. It is evident that the two leading political parties in Bayelsa State can wine and dine together as one people.
The administration has roll out policies that encourage political parties to be at peace with themselves. It is an enduring legacy that can be sustained if only all concerns work together as one for the common good of the state.
In a fora, Senator Douye Diri was caught saying, “I like to use this forum to commend politicians across the parties, particularly those of the APC (All Progressives Congress) and PDP extraction. I give thumbs up to both parties for the brotherliness and for exhibiting maturity in the politics of our dear state.”
The State Governor’s maturity is noticeable in his style of leadership and calmness despite the challenges poised before him ranging from dwindling economy, coronavirus pandemic and people who subjectively and destructively criticizing the policies and programs of the government.
Chronicling the achievements of the Prosperity Government, the government has recorded gigantic stride in the area of infrastructural development which has turned the state into a construction site. The legacy projects embarked upon by the state government which many have been completed while others near completion. These include the newly commissioned 4.5km Igbedi community road in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area which was built from the scratch.
Also, the Administration embarked on the construction of Yenagoa-Oporoma road project linking various communities of the River banks. Although the project is a federal government project which was in the drawing board for over five decades, inherited from the Senator Seriake Dickson led administration to lessen the suffering of the riverine people of Southern Ijaw. Being one of the largest and oldest local government council, many communities in the council area, is only accessible by boat.
The people of the council area is now jubilating as Vice President Yemi Osinbajo officially flagged off the construction of a bridge linking the council headquarters, Oporoma, at Angiama as part of the activities marking the second year anniversary.
The people of Angiama and Igbedi communities share some similairilities in terms of unavailability of good road network until the Prosperity Government led by Senator Douye Diri, making the people in the Kolokuma/Opokuma and Southrrn Ijaw council areas to have sense of belonging, which has changed the narrative of the people.
The Angiama people are always joyful; a people that only see vehicles perhaps either on television, in books or whenever they travel to the city for greener pastures. Their farm produce now has economy value which can be exported to Yenagoa and other cities.
Another gigantic project is the Mega Media Complex housing all the state-owned media outfits – Radio Bayelsa, Niger Delta Television and the Bayelsa State Newspaper Corporation – the imposing edifice has 340 offices, 107 restrooms, two restaurants and other facilities. The three storey building is fully equipped with state-of-the-art broadcast equipment and printing machines that will enhance the productivity of media practitioners. A model which is hard to find anywhere will compete favourably with other media outfits nationally and globally.
As government of continuity, the Prosperity Government continued all abandoned projects inherited by his predecessor including the second phase of Isaac Boro Road, the 89km Sagbama-Ekeremor Road, the 38km Yenagoa-Oporoma Road and the 22km Elebele-Igbogene Ring Road, which the first phase from Igbogene-Okarki is already inaugurated. The government also inherited uncompleted key projects like the Glory Drive Road from Igbogene to Onopa, where the Government House is located, was conceived during the Timipre Sylva administration. The road is now under construction after clearing all court litigations that put the project onhold for years.
Moreover, the Government also facilitated the commencement of commercial flight after the administration secured the certification of operational licence last year from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). Since then the airport airlifting passengers to different parts of the country with affordable fees.
To enable night-time flights at the airport, the Diri administration has procured Instrument Landing System (ILS) and other required equipment. It had earlier undertaken the construction of the airport’s perimeter fencing, a condition that the NCAA insisted upon even though there were other considerations for delaying the operational licence.
The world valentine day which coincided with Bayelsa State second year anniversary, many Bayelsans describe Douye Diri as a valentine gift to Bayelsans as the state now enjoying peaceful atmosphere as he strengthening the security architecture of the state with provision of operational vehicles to all the security and para-military agencies. Importantly, the government reintroduced the Bayelsa security outfit code-named “Operation Doo-Akpo”, which has significantly reduced crime and criminality in Yenagoa and its environs. It also strengthened the state’s complementary security outfits – Bayelsa Volunteers and Bayelsa Vigilante – by harmonising their operations with the Operation Doo-Akpo after the Bayelsa Community Safety Corps Law came into force. The inhabitants of Bayelsa can now sleep with their two eyes close, which the security personnel are visibly stationed in all the strategic locations of the state.
The administration also embarked on massive expansion of roads and roundabouts like the Swali ultra-market and the Tombia roundabouts which cultists and some criminal elements used as a hideout to pepertuate crime and criminality.
In addition, the administration also embarked on the construction of 18 new internal roads in the state capital alone out of 20, while 51 other internal roads were rehabilitated within the period under review.
The administration also commissioned The Unity Bridge connecting the Nembe people of Ogbolomabiri and Bassambiri in Nembe Local Government Area of the state. It gathered that the bride got damaged several years ago at the height of a protracted dispute between both communities. The rift was so deep that the communities could not even agree on rebuilding the strategic route that bonded them.
The Administration seen the youths roaming the streets without gainful employment, created the Centre for Youth Development and roll out programmes that making youths self-reliant and self-employed. The administration has trained youths on vocational and technical skills on Information Communication Technology (ICT).
The government in its calculated attempt to empowering the youth population initiated the Diri Digital Entrepreneurship Empowerment Programme (DDEEP) under which 8,000 persons from the eight local government areas of the state would be trained to acquire ICT skills under the Ministry of Communication, Science and Technology. According to statistics at our disposal, out of the initial 4,700 applicants, 50 of them, also from the eight councils, were selected for a three-month pilot scheme that commenced in November last year.
Another remarkable area of achievement in education sector is the new focus on vocational, technical and science education. Apart from establishing technical and vocational colleges in all the local government areas of the state, it is vigorously pursuing the introduction of Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics literacy in secondary schools.
The government also launched Ijaw history book, The Izon of the Niger Delta. An idea conceived and nurtuered by late Dr. Diepreye Peter Solomon Alamieyeseigha’s led government but did not see the light of the day until the present administration. The intention of the book is to revive the Ijaw language which was gradually going into extinction. It also make the compulsory learning and teaching of the Ijaw language in our primary and secondary schools across the state.
The administration has also commissioned the Kaiama Referral Hospital, which it inherited from his predecessor and increase the testing capacity of the infectious Covid-19 pandemic, and the sustenance of the Bayelsa Insurance Scheme which is enjoying by all Bayelsa civil servants and their family members.
Ensuring food sufficiency, the government of Senator Douye Diri provide land and seedlings to farmers in collaboration with the apex bank (Central Bank of Nigeria) build fish processing plant of over 20,000-metric tonnes capacity, which are all effective and functional.
First in history in Nigeria that state-sponsored football clubs, the Bayelsa United and Bayelsa Queens, win the 2021 Federation/AITEO Cup for both the male and female categories. No other state in the country has achieved such feat in their football history, knowing fully well that the football teams are coming third for the first time at the Edo 2020 National Sports Festival.
It is evident that the administration created the enabling environment for its sportsmen and women to strive as well as a motivating reward system. This achievement chronicled the fact that the governor is a sports lover. It was observed in the novelty football match featuring the executive and legislative arms of the government held in Siasia Samson Sports Complex as part of activities to mark the second year anniversary in the state.
