By Kola Oredipe
The Prosperity administration upon inauguration in 2020 hit the ground running with renewed hope for a greater and united Bayelsa State.
In almost three years in office, the governor, Senator Douye Diri, has shown capacity in accommodating and promoting peace, love and unity among Bayelsans irrespective of political inclinations.
Many Bayelsans have continued to appreciate him for strengthening the bond of oneness. A few of them have regrettably remained defiant to positive change.
The Senator Douye Diri-led administration in Bayelsa State is open to criticism to engender the democratic system.
Truly, it is in the spirit of togetherness and love that “we can build a Bayelsa of our dream.”
Since February 2020 when he came into office, Gov. Diri has tenaciously paid the monthly salaries of the civil servants. He is also clearing outstanding gratuities of the retirees every month. Gov. Diri has continued to receive prayers and appreciation for this. But to the surprise or admiration of many, the governor dismissed all the encomiums over regular payment of salaries and said he is only carrying out his duties and obligation to the people.
He is also faithfully implementing annual promotions and corresponding incremental to all affected workers. Training and retraining in the civil service have received the endorsement of the governor in his stride to build a virile public service.
While the governor has endeared himself to the workers following his robust welfare package, he has equally won the heart of Bayelsans for his many infrastructural projects across the eight Local Government Areas.
It is so reassuring to see the government of the day completing and inaugurating some of the projects covering roads, bridges, health and educational facilities just as many more are ongoing and are at different stages of completion in various locations.
Within two years in office, the Prosperity Government has completed Kaiama Referral Hospital, Imiringi bridge, Elebele bridge, Nembe Unity bridge, New Yenagoa city road, Media Complex, the first phase of Igbogene-AIT/Elebele road, Igbedi road and Health Insurance Building.
This is a government that is very strategic in road projects that will open up the entire local government areas by connecting riverine communities with roads.
The three Senatorial District roads have received serious attention from the current administration. The Sagbama- Ekeremor road is near completion while work on the Yenagoa-Oporoma-Ukubie road is progressing well. Interestingly, it now takes less than thirty minutes to get to Oporoma, the headquarters of Southern Ijaw LGA because of the completed stretch between Yenagoa and Angiama community. The people of Aguobiri and Angiama are celebrating this miraculous road project. It is a reality that one no longer accesses Angiama by speed boats but by vehicles straight into the community.
The Nembe-Brass road construction has also commenced linking the East to the Central and Western districts of the State. Yes, these landmark projects are manifestations that this government is poised to conquer the challenges with the terrain.
Unlike doubt being expressed by the opposition, a lot is happening under this administration from sector to sector. So many impacts have been recorded in areas of education, health, sports, agriculture and youth/women empowerment.
The development paradigm of the Senator Diri-led administration has continued to give the people hope for a better Bayelsa with great promise.
It is indisputable that it is under the prosperity administration that Local Government Chairmen became accountable and delivered dividends of democracy to the people through infrastructural projects, and for the first time in Bayelsa history, they left monies in the confers of the council at the expiration of their tenures.
Gov. Diri represents zero tolerance for manipulation and control of the council’s administration. He represents rule of law and accountable governance.
Youth training and empowerment have not been left out. Thousands of youths are being trained and empowered to become entrepreneurs and employers of labour. By statistics, thousands of youths have been turned away from acts of crime and criminality to becoming resourceful.
Hundreds of small-scale business owners are encouraged monthly under the State empowerment programme with N200,000.00 each. All these are geared toward building peace, and security and boosting the local economy.
Indeed, Governor Douye Diri is truly here to serve and he has demonstrated that in every step taken toward building a greater, united and prosperous State.
The journey to the Bayelsa of our dream is a collective task. And the trajectory is visible under the Prosperity Administration. Let’s then move forward together!
Oredipe Kola, is the Director, New Media to the Governor of Bayelsa State.
