Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has
applauded the state’s athletes to the just-concluded maiden Niger Delta Sports
Festival for their first place finish.
Bayelsa topped the medal table winning 42 gold, 29
silver and 15 bronze ahead of Delta State that had 41 gold, 26 silver, and 32
bronze medals.
The week-long festival, held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State,
with over 3,000 athletes from the nine Niger Delta states participating in 17
sports, was sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Governor Diri, who gave the commendation on Wednesday
at the 159th session of the state Executive Council in Government House,
Yenagoa, said the feat achieved by the state’s team demonstrated team work,
perseverance and good management.
The governor stressed that the laurels won by the team has justified
that his administration's decision to construct a stadium was not misplaced, as
it would be useful in grooming more talents to bring honour to the state.
Diri said: "I welcome Team Bayelsa who were in
Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, to participate in the maiden edition of the NDDC sports
fiesta. We closely monitored it and at the end of the day, Bayelsa State
emerged champions.
"Team work, individuals at their best, good
management and perseverance paid off. I hope and believe that this will be the
turning point for Bayelsa.
“On behalf of your government, I thank you all for
your efforts in ensuring that Bayelsa was always at the top in sports
development. You have given us the reason the new stadium must be completed. We
believe that we have an abundance of talents and skills in every area of sports
and we need to bring up those talents by providing facilities.
"We have not misplaced priority in our thinking
to start the FIFA-rated stadium project. We believe that you will continue to
do more to bring more laurels to our state.”
He stated that apart from sports, Bayelsa was also at
the threshold of making history in infrastructure development and in other
sectors.
Diri said his administration would be remembered
for the big ticket projects it embarked
upon.
The governor noted that with the senatorial road
projects such as the Nembe-Brass, Oporoma-Ukubie-Koluama, the expected
Ekeremor-Agge and many other projects, when completed, would positively impact
on socio-economic development of the state and beyond.
He also assured that with the procurement of gas
turbines coupled with the partnership with the federal government’s Rural
Electrification Agency (REA), there would soon be steady power supply in the
state.
The Bayelsa helmsman implored his cabinet members to
remain focused on delivering projects that would enhance the quality of life
and not be distracted by those that do not mean well for the state.
"We have done very well. The
projects we inherited, we have completed most of them. We also started
our own projects. Today, we are sure of the Nembe-Brass road in the Eastern
senatorial district. We started it and invited the Federal Government and it
awarded phase two of the project while we are doing the first phase.
“The information available to me indicates that the
Central senatorial road to Oporoma-Ukubie- Koluama, which has a bridge of over
600 metres at Angiama, will be completed this year.
“The Ekeremor-Agge road, which we inherited and tarred
to Ekeremor, we are about to award the remaining part. We are also constructing
several other massive road infrastructure in the state.
"In education, we just commissioned six secondary
schools in Yenagoa. We began a paradigm shift to hands-on education by building
science and technical colleges in every local government area.
"I believe that this government is on the
threshold of making history, particularly with the new programmes and projects
we have initiated.
"Power is also there as we are procuring our
turbines for independent power in Bayelsa State. We just returned from Abuja
after yesterday’s partnership event with the Rural Electrification Agency. All
of these speak to the fact that we are doing very well."
The governor also thanked Bayelsans for the warm
reception accorded wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, when she
visited the state.
He stated that the gesture demonstrated the
hospitality of Bayelsans, which the President's wife acknowledged.
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