The Bayelsa State Government has expressed dissatisfaction at the slow pace of work ongoing at Obogoro shore protection site in the Yenagoa Local Government Area..
The Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Iselema Gbaranbiri made this known when he paid an unscheduled visit to the project site in Obogoro Community in Yenagoa on Thursday, July 13,2023 to ascertain the progress of work.
Mr Gbaranbiri who was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment,Mr.Waripamo Martin, stated that the State Government would not condone any more delay in carrying out the project, stressing that it was long due, as lives and properties were at stake.
According to him, earlier the project was a river training project .But the government had a change of plan to carryout a shore protection after due consultation all in the bid to profer lasting solutions to the erosion problems ravaging the community.
While urging the company not to disappoint government,the Environment Commissioner instructed that the job be done as quickly as possible before the floods begin to set in to prevent further damages, as there was limited time and vowed to pay more unannounced visits to supervise the project.
Mr Gbaranbiri maintained that, the contract job has suffered a lot of set backs for years ,adding that the prosperity administration of Senator Douye Diri want to see that work is ongoing day and night emphasizing that the State government cannot continue to take excuses anymore,while also warning that if the job does not commence within 24hours, Government will not hesitate in “wielding the big stick” .
ln his response, Mr. Johnson Ogbo, the Project Manager of Niger Green Dredging International assured the commissioner that the job was going to begin in earnest as earlier promised adding that a proper job would be carried out.