At Diri’s Fifth Anniversary, Political Party Affiliation Takes Back Seat
Senator Douye Diri, governor of Bayelsa State is not just celebrating the fifth anniversary of his emergence as governor, but is also sending a message to Nigerians on how to draw a line between party politics and development issues.
In showcasing projects undertaken by his government to mark the anniversary, Diri went beyond party leaning to bring members of the ruling APC to be part of the events.
A few days ago, the governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Otu, an APC member, was in Bayelsa to inaugurate a road project on Diri’s invitation.
On Thursday, at a thanksgiving service as part of the anniversary, the vice president, Kashim Shettima, another APC member, was in Yenagoa to rejoice with Diri, a PDP member.
Other prominent Nigerians, including the managing director of the NDDC, an APC member, the wife of a former Dame Patience Jonathan, Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Muftwang, National Assembly members were at the Ecumenical Centre, Igbogene, Yenagoa, where a renowned Ghanaian preacher, Dr. Otabil Mensah, ministered as guest speaker.
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 of the projects to include the three 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 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 Goodluck Jonathan, on Monday.
The governor stated that the administration was addressing the issue of civil servants office accommodation by commencing the building of an iconic 9-storey secretariat complex.
He disclosed that the contractor, Megastar Limited, had already been paid 50 per cent of the project cost.
Diri also 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.
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.
