The fifth anniversary thanksgiving service of the
Senator Douye Diri administration in Bayelsa State, on Thursday, offered a
platform for the governor to render his stewardship.
The well-attended event had prominent Nigerians,
including Vice President Kashim Shettima, former President Goodluck Jonathan’s
wife, Dame Patience, Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Muftwang, National
Assembly members among others in attendance.
The thanksgiving service was held at the Ecumenical
Centre, Igbogene, Yenagoa, and had renowned Ghanaian preacher, Dr. Otabil
Mensah, as the guest speaker.
Governor Diri, in his remarks, said Bayelsa was
witnessing a transformation with the completion of several impactful projects
as well as ongoing and newly-awarded projects.
He listed some to include the three big-ticket
senatorial roads, particularly the Bayelsa Central road, which he said would
get to Oporoma, headquarters of the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, and
inaugurated this year.
He also stated that with the support of the federal
government, the second phase of the Nembe-Brass road in Bayelsa East would come
on stream while the ongoing first phase would be 90 per cent completed by the
end of this year.
Diri noted that because of the abundant sporting
talents in the state, his administration will constructing a 25,000-seat
FIFA-standard stadium, which he said will be flagged off by Dr. Jonathan on
Monday.
Among others, the Bayelsa governor stated that the
administration was addressing the issue of civil servants office accommodation
by commencing the building of an iconic nine-storey secretariat complex. He
disclosed that the contractor, Megastar Limited, had already been paid 50 per
cent of the project cost.
In education, Diri said there had been a shift in
paradigm to science and technical education and the government had built and
equipped five science and technical colleges across the state. He directed the
Commissioner for Education to ensure that the two local government areas yet to
be covered were completed this year.
On epileptic power supply in the state, the Bayelsa
helmsman said it will be a thing of the past when the 60mw gas turbines worth
$60 million arrive the state.
His words: “All of these projects run into billions of
naira. Of course, the one that will make all of us happier and affects everyone
is electricity.
“We have agreed with a private company that is
supplying us 60mw of gas turbines, big enough to serve not only Yenagoa but the
whole of Bayelsa State.
“We are expecting the gas turbines to arrive Nigeria
in the next two months and I can promise you without looking back that by the
end of this year, we will have 24 hours independent power supply.”
In his goodwill message, Vice President Kashim
Shettima, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Economic Matters, Dr.
Tope Fasua, commended Bayelsa State’s significant development and economic
progress.
He said the state was diversifying beyond crude oil
and gas, which include agriculture, fishery and sports, that are crucial to the
state’s prosperity.
He noted that the commencement of commercial flights
at the Bayelsa International Airport was a significant infrastructural
development.
?The Vice President also applauded Diri for his
reforms, including the announcement of a minimum wage of N80,000 for state
workers.
?He acknowledged the state’s impressive economic
statistics with Bayelsa having the ninth highest GDP in Nigeria and the second
highest GDP per capital after Lagos State.
In a sermon titled: “Wisdom,” Dr. Otabil Mensah said
all over the world, the most deprived, underdeveloped nations were in Africa
but it was still the most endowed and spiritually-blessed continent.
?Dr. Mensah criticised Africans that pray mostly
against fellow humans, saying true wisdom does not destroy but build.
He urged Africans to use wisdom to transform the
immense wealth God had deposited in the land.
Other dignitaries at the service were Deputy Governor
of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, Deputy Governor of Delta State,
Monday Onyeme, former Military Governor of old Rivers State, King Alfred
Diete-Spiff, and another former Rivers Governor. Chief Rufus Ada-George.
Others were two former Military Administrators of
Bayelsa State, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (Rtd) and Colonel Edor Obi (Rtd) as
well as former Acting Governor Werinipere Seibarugu and former Deputy Governor
Peremobowei Ebebi.
Also present were Senators Sunday Katung, Konbowei
Benson, and Benson Agadaga as well as Bayelsa House of Reps members - Dr. Fred
Agbedi, Marie Ebikake, Rodney Ambaiowei, and Oforji Oboku.
Also in attendance were Speaker of the Bayelsa House of Assembly, Abraham Ingobere, National Chairman of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Dr. Boladei Igali, Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Nimibofa Ayawei, chairman, Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, King Bubaraye Dakolo, the Amanyanabo of Nembe Kingdom, King Edmond Daukoru, NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku and other top government functionaries
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