By Kola Oredipe
Years have rolled by since the creation of Bayelsa State in 1996 and the momentum for the development of the state reverberates among the people.
After four civilian administrations of late DSP Alamieyeseigha, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Timipre Sylva and Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, the incumbent Governor, Senator Douye Diri, came into office with great passion for development as he steered the ship of the state in the right direction for continuity.
Since 2020, under the current Prosperity Administration, so much progress has been achieved across the eight Local Government Areas.
After five years in office, the government of Assured Prosperity anchored on peace, unity and love has engendered holistic transformation in the various sectors of the state’s economy.
The current administration apart from its massive road construction is making huge impact in education, health care, agriculture, security, sports development, power, youth and women empowerment, and the civil service.
In the education sector, this government since its inception in 2020 has changed the focus of its secondary curriculum from mere paper qualification to science and technical education where the students learn new hands-on skills.
In achieving this drive, the State Government has established and equipped new Science, Technical and Vocational Colleges in the eight local government areas.
The introduction of technology to learning and teaching in the primary schools through BayelsaPRIME, is building a solid background for the education at the foundation level.
In terms of personnel, the government is deliberate in employing new teachers for the primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.
It is a great feeling across the state-owned tertiary institutions with the accreditation of their programmes and Faculties/Colleges.
Again, Governor Diri is building a robust health sector with critical infrastructures and improvement on public health care to make many people including those in riverine communities have access to affordable health services.
The Bayelsa State Health Insurance Scheme, the Zipline drones facilities for medical supplies and the new Haemodialysis centre are major boost to the good health indices of Bayelsa State.
With the expansion of the BHIS to cover both the formal and informal sectors, the enrollment to subsidise health services for Bayelsans, including civil servants, students, artisans, and vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and children, have grown to over 300,000 registered people.
While the administration is upgrading primary health centres and other facilities across the communities, Governor Diri has ensured recruitment of over 200 new medical personnel, including doctors, nurses, and laboratory technicians to meet up health needs of the people.
The government, in this second term, has become more strategic in driving agriculture and food production as enshrined in the Assured Prosperity agenda with emphasis on the crops that Bayelsa State has comparative advantage in. These include rice, plantain, banana, cassava, sugarcane cultivation and fish farming.
So far, in about five years, the Prosperity Administration has trained over 1000 youths and women in different aspects of farming at the CSS Global integrated Farms, Gora, Nassarawa State and in modern soilless farming. Also, the Agricultural trainees in the state have received N500,000 each to aid agricultural development and food production.
As a state with comparative advantage in rice cultivation, the state government has invested heavily in that area in partnership with the South Korean Government that donated various farm equipment including rice mills to the government. Just recently, the Governor was at the famous IITA in Ibadan for further partnership.
Indeed, Governor Diri’s unwavering commitment to revitalizing the agricultural sector has continued to yield remarkable results, inspiring hope and propelling progress in the State.
This govt is also providing improved seedlings and other farm equipment to farmers in the State.
Again, only recently, the Governor approved over Five Hundred Million Naira for the purchase of Agricultural equipment to ensure a robust agricultural sector and intensify the fight against food insecurity in the state.
With the appointment of a Professor of Agriculture, Beke Sese, to man the ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, there would be no excuse for failure. The momentum is truly on the rise as the administration is making in roads to boost food production.
In the sports sector, the investments of the Prosperity Government is visible in the success of the state contingents to national events and winning laurels.
It has been a remarkable progress in the last two National Sports Festival and the recently held Niger Delta Sports Festival.
This is a testament to the fact that the success of Bayelsa State in the sports sector has not just been limited to the successes of Bayelsa United and Bayelsa Queens Football clubs.
This government has continued to fund training of athletes and sponsoring them to competitions with good welfare.
While the government on one hand is building housing schemes, it is putting so much energy into massive road infrastructures and the reason for this is genuine.
Bayelsa State, being largely riverine requires more roads to connect several riverine communities and the people appreciate this handsomely.
Diri, is taking both human and infrastructural development head-on and he is taking up big ticket projects to advance development across the eight Local Government Areas.
It was former President Olusegun Obasanjo who said, “Leadership is about making bold decisions, even in the face of uncertainty.”
This is the drive for Governor Diri even with limited resources when he assumed office. After all, the decision to continue with the capital intensive three Senatorial road projects remains the best and strategic.
Yes, he is building the three Senatorial district roads- Sagbama-Ekeremor-Agge road, Yenagoa-Oporoma-Ukubie road and Nembe-Brass road.
The Prosperity Administration has built bridges across different rivers connecting several riverine communities by roads to the state capital.
Today, the people of the riverine communities of Angiama, Oporoma, Aguobiri, Otuan, Angalabiri, Ofoni, Ayamasa, Aleibiri, Isampou, Amanagbene, Ekeremor main town and Igbedi are full of appreciation for the new roads.
Interestingly, in five years, the government has done so much from sector to sector. Among the projects that were completed and commissioned during his first tenure were Kaiama Referral Hospital, Ernest Ikoli media complex, housing the State-owned radio station, Niger Delta Television and Newwaves Newspaper, the New Yenagoa City Road, the Nembe unity bridge, Elebele bridge, Igbedi road, Igbogene-AIT/Elebele outer ring road, Glory Drive road phase 2, the new Finance House, Isaac Boro Expressway, Transport Terminal, and new BHIS Administrative Complex in Yenagoa.
Similarly, the governor released funds to the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development to cater for community projects and rehabilitated the Opokuma/Sabagreia road, repaired fifty internal roads in Yenagoa and built over 70 new Internal roads within the State capital.
It is great to note the infrastructural wonders taking place at the New Yenagoa City by Onopa, where dualised roads have sprang up and construction of new Commissioner’s and Assembly Quarters have been completed and inaugurated. Diri, is building a modern state capital.
With so much accomplishments, the quest of the Assured Prosperity administration to leave legacies is not going down!
The construction of three key infrastructures and legacy projects have commenced- the new Ultra-modern 25,000 capacity Stadium, iconic 9-storey Secretariat Complex and the 60MW Gas Turbines. Building an independent power plant coupled with the existing peace and security, is the way to industrial revolution.
Since 2020, the Prosperity Administration has made investments in peace and security a top priority with so much support to the conventional federal security agencies.
The establishment of the State Community Safety Corps and support to the existing Volunteer Force and Vigilante group, have brought peace to the land.
Again, the deployment of technology on security surveillance has added so much value to the security apparatus and the result is visible to all.
And as at today, Bayelsa State is ranked as the most secure state in the country. That’s a plus to this administration.
Henry Ford, American industrialist and business magnate once said, “
Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.” These attributes have over the years defined the personality of the Governor.
It is good to note that Governor Diri, has found a peaceful way to work with different leaders of the state irrespective of political affiliations in steering the ship safely in the past five years strengthening the bonds of unity and peace, insisting Bayelsa progress and development is everyone’s project.
Indeed, he has proven to be a great leader for ensuring political stability in the state working closely with his Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the other two arms of government-the legislature and the judiciary.
In five years, it is true that Bayelsa State has witnessed uncommon transformation in infrastructural development and the testimonies are loud about the steady progress.
This man of courage, Senator Diri,
has endeared himself to the people as a peaceful leader who is building a new Bayelsa of greater opportunities and shared prosperity.
The charge is now to every Bayelsans regardless of their status and profile in the society to support the current administration to sustain this momentum of clear progress in the quest to build a more united and prosperous Bayelsa State.
Oredipe, is the Director-General, Bayelsa Government New Media.
About Author
