On Diri’s Ambitious Projects
Recently, the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike announced during the commissioning of one of the projects undertaken by his government, that the federal government under General Muhammadu Buhari, had released the back log of 13 per cent derivation funds to his state and those of other Niger Delta states. At that event, Wike was quoted as having said that he was using his own allocation for the flyover projects-located in Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt Local Government Areas-as well as some road projects.
Diri Amazes Me With The Boldness He Faces Critical Projects In Bayelsa -Royal Father
In making the announcement, Wike had urged Nigerians to help him thank the president, even as he asked the Niger Delta people to also ask their governors what they were doing with their own share of the derivation funds. A few days after though, he adjusted the statement and maintained that he only told Nigerians to thank the president for releasing the money to him. He said he could not have executed projects in the state without the funds.
Wike’s statement may have been made to spite his colleagues, especially those who have refused to side him in his protestations against the PDP. But findings have however shown that some of the governors may have properly applied the funds in the execution of mega, people-oriented projects quietly.
For instance, in Bayelsa State, the governor, Senator Douye Diri seems to have tackled some of the projects in his state with anger, holy anger that is. Take the three senatorial districts roads for instance. Reports indicate that before Diri assumed office, his predecessor had conceptualised the road projects and even took them to some extent, the Dickson government couldn’t complete them before leaving office, largely because of funds. The federal government and the NDDC had promised but failed to support the state with funds for the completion of the project.
Reports also show that when Diri took over, he decided to continue from where Dickson stopped. As at last week, about four bridges had already been completed along the Yenagoa-Oporoma route. The road is believed to be one of Diri’s ambitious projects. At the Angiama axis, it is reported that a Chinese firm, CCECC is already at the verge of completing the last bridge that will connect the state capital with the headquarters of Southern/Ijaw, the largest local government in the state, also known as the local government with the highest activities of oil and gas. The bridges at Angiama and Ogbobiri may have cost the Diri government so much money. In fact, there are reports that the cost of constructing only the Angiama bridge could construct three flyover bridges in Port Harcourt.
Sand-filling and piling is said to be on-going at the bridge.
Work on the Sagbama-Ekeremor road is also reported to be moving speedily. Reports say under Dikson, clearing was done from Sagbama to Ekeremor, making it possible for heavy duty vehicles to use the road towards the Ekeremor end. But as at now, lighter vehicles are able to get to Ekeremor. Solid bridges are also reported to have been constructed by the Diri government. There are reports that the road would be completed and open to use before in another two years. The reason, according to reports, is the high cost of constructing the road.
Very prominent sons of Bayelsa State are already praising Diri for the mind to continue with the projects left behind by Dickson-projects they believe will open up the state and boost its economy. President of the Ijaw National Congresss, INC, Prof Benjamin Okaba as well as the chairman of the Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers, King Bubaraye Dakolo are said to be very happy with Diri for properly applying funds accruing to the state. in fact, Okaba is even reported to have said that the governor had no enough money for his projects, because of how expensive it has been to execute mega projects in the state.
From our findings, the Diri government has been deliberate and consistent but quietly taking up knee breaking projects in the state. There are signals that Yenagoa will cease to be a one major road city, a glorified village and the forest capital of Nigeria, as once described by Dickson, by the time Diri completes all the road projects currently on-going in all parts of the state.
