Henceforth, driving to Otueke, hometown of a former president of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan will be smooth even during the rainy season. This is because the Onuegbum-Otueke Road has been reconstructed and now ready to be put to use.
The project was undertaken by Senator Douye Diri and inaugurated on Friday by his Plateau State counterpart, Caleb Muftwang, who has been in Bayelsa State for the celebration of Diri’s fifth anniversary.
An excited Muftwang hailed Diri for the project and announced a donation of N15 million to the Onuebum and Otuoke communities as well as students of the Federal University, Otuoke.
He said: “God did not make a mistake in making Diri the ‘Miracle Governor’ of Bayelsa State. It has been five years of miracles because Diri has been a beneficiary of God’s miracles. I am excited to see the development of Bayelsa State.
“I started coming to Bayelsa State in 1993 when I picked a wife from here. So, I know what Bayelsa looked like many years back and what it is looking like today. I want to appreciate God for the tremendous progress that has been made.”
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, also commended Diri for constructing a new residential estate for members of the state house of assembly. Abbas performed the ceremony.
While commissioning the project, Abbas said Bayelsa under Diri had witnessed remarkable progress in infrastructure, healthcare, human capacity development and other areas of development, describing the legislators quarters project as a powerful demonstration of the government’s resolve to deliver only the best to the people.
He stated that the inauguration was not only a celebration of the governor’s accomplishments, but also a reflection of his vision and dedication to the development of the state.
His words: “Your leadership style, magnanimity, inclusivity and a strong sense of purpose has set a standard worthy of your administration. These quarters are a symbol of the confidence placed in you by the people of Bayelsa.”
Also speaking, Douye Diri said the New Yenagoa City was well-planned and that developers of property must follow the plan.
He emphasised that with the infrastructure put in place by his administration, Yenagoa was expanding and no longer what it used to be and directed the Ministry of Lands and Survey to acquire additional 360 hectares of land to be allocated to interested Bayelsans and other individuals.
The Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Moses Teibowei, said the quarters comprised 30 units of duplexes made up of one unit of five-bedroom duplex for the Speaker while 29 units of four-bedroom duplexes were for the other legislators.
He added that the construction was awarded to an indigenous construction company that delivered the project on schedule.
Governor Diri, at the event, restated his call for an increase in 13 per cent derivation to oil-producing states.
According to him, the excuse over the years had been that the state’s terrain was too difficult to develop, but noted that if the resources deposited in Bayelsa were properly utilised, they were enough to develop the state.
Diri explained that he took interest in the Onuebum-Otuoke road because of what the people suffered during flood seasons.
He also stated that it would have been a disservice for him to leave government without rehabilitating the road due to its importance to the community of the former president, students of the federal university, and Bayelsa East in general.
He said: “We have difficulty but we have taken our destiny into our hands. That is why we tell the rest of the country that our terrain is not too difficult to develop. The resources are there. We only have to harness them justifiably and equitably.
“We are not saying we want all. We are ready to share with the rest of the country but give us above 13 per cent. The Constitution states that 13 per cent is the minimum. So, I’m calling on our representatives in the National Assembly that it is time to change that minimum.
“This is why I commend this federal government on the tax reform bill. We as a state support it 100 per cent. We have made our position known through our representatives in the National Assembly and it is that the proposed 60 or 30 per cent VAT increase should be extended to every other area, including oil and gas.
“By the time our derivation is increased, we will not be constructing a single lane to Otuoke or Brass but double lanes.“
President of the Students Union Government, Federal University, Otuoke, Comrade Silas Nimibofa, commended the governor for the road, which he said had reduced crime, provided alternative route and helped to reduce transportation cost.
