What Bayelsans Want From Diri

 

As Douye Diri Governor of Bayelsa State takes another oath of office in few weeks time to continue with his second tenure,  David West a public analyst  has said that looking at it from the first four years so far,  Bayelsa has not been fared very well in his humble opinion not minding the fact that there were  talks of   construction of the normal three senatorial roads talk and other ones.

 

He however advised that "For the second tenure, Bayelsans are really expecting to see that there is an improvement in the livilihood of the citizens, the economy of Bayelsa State to be precise. 

He continued " You will agree with me that the internally generated revenue of the state is zero looking at Bayelsa as a state that is supposed to be among the ranking states that will be generating revenue for itself. Looking at the resources that it is having. The economy of the state needs to be rejigged.

"The transportation system in the state is worrisome. We know what people pass through especially those that don't own a car.since  the ban of Keke that people use and government said they are coming up with palliative in the name of busses and taxis which the people do not see and the few ones they see they pay through their nose.

"There is no portable drinking water in Bayelsa State anywhere, no tap is flowing anywhere in Bayelsa State. The people's expect to see portable drinking water. People want to see that the government provides basic amenities . 

"There is no locust housing project anywhere for the people. He has to buckle  up in  his second tenure. In the first tenure, it took him six months plus to constitute his cabinet and  each time they want to talk about reasons for his poor performance he will talk of covid 19 and court cases forgetting the fact that he did not constitute his cabinet for six months.

So we do not expect the same thing  to repeat itself. After February 14 we should see his cabinet properly constituted.

"People that will be appointed to ministries and MDAs should be people that have the capability to deliver, people who can approach the governor and tell him what the people want and not people who cannot speak to the governor who has appointed them. We do not need political patronage.

"Electricity is also key. We heard that government is bringing a bill to that effect we also expect to also see government perform. I'm saying this because we are aware of the open grazing law but when you go out you see people still grazing especially during this dry season, you still  see these marauders with their cows. That is to say that that law is not functioning so let's not have electricity law that will also not work. Let it not be like Bayelsa rice that  till this moment, nobody saw Bayelsa rice to eat. Let second tenure be the harvesting season for the people of Bayelsa State.

Also Esther Ebella a civil  servant in her demands said  "The area I want him  to  improve on when he comes for second tenure is  he should have locust houses for civil servants. They keep on building for big  houses for politicians that already have the money but the low class civil servants, there are no locust houses so that civil servants can pay over the years own them.

"Another area is inroads and streets, let him open up streets. That will bring development because most persons have lands in that places but because there is no asses to carry materials to those places, It is difficult. So if he opens up roads,  you see that individuals will begin to develop the state on their own over the time  and local government workers most of them  complain that even the minimum wage they are not enjoying and backlog of arrears,  some of them have been stagneted without being promoted. Let him look at those places first.

Grace Orumieghefa  said  "I  want  him continue to be the servant leader that he has promised Bayelsans  and especially he  should try as much  as he can to utilize all that he requested in the budget. The budget cut across all the sectors.   He should try as much as he can to utilize that money for the purpose in which it was fixed.

Thank God he signed the budget and he is the one coming for second term  and if he does that I believe he will be one governor Bayelsans will live to remember after his tenure.

"I also want him to try as much as he can to make sure that Bayelsa still remains peaceful under his tenure. Bayelsa is enjoying 80% peace and he should also try to see that the state is economically viable. He should open up ways to make the economy to thrive.

Lucky Ebido  in his reaction said  "What I expect from  Douye Diri is massive infrastructural development like roads and brdges to connect the hinterland to the state capital. Wifetborce iseland, he should construction the road now that the bridge is already there. Also Okoloba  bridge should be construct and ensure that the road is completed. That Kpansia /Okaka road should be constructed to terminate at Ogbia axis. 

"He should revive the Imiringi gas turbine so that light  will not blink in the state. He should go into industrialization. Establish industries so that Bayelsans can be taken out of the status of being a civil service state.

"He should strenghtem the educational institution. The idea of subvention should be abolished because it is stiffening the growth of educational institutions. He should build more secondary schools. And then employ more health workers  and build more health facilities. Let there be water reticulation. He should dredge the Epie creek to become tourist attractions.

"Creek motel should be revamped  and the tower hotel that has been abandoned should be put in use. He should introduce more palliatives and deploy more vehicles now that Keke has been banned.

Already during his new year message, Governor Diri had  stated that

"Our expectations for a more prosperous and productive 2024 is rooted in our carefully crafted Budget of Sustainable and Shared Prosperity. You may remember that I initially presented a budget proposal of N480,993,632,369.00 to the House. However, the House of Assembly made a revision to N489,443,632,374.00, resulting in a difference of N8,450,000,000.00. This additional funding will be allocated towards the construction of an ultra-modern stadium, an ultra-modern Renal Centre at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital in Okolobiri, the construction of an Administrative Block for the Primary Health Care Board, and other necessary expenditure.

"Our move towards industrialising the state has taken a giant leap with my assent to the Bayelsa State Electricity Law, 2023. This promises to be a game changer for our power supply, with critical implications for our industrialisation programme. Bayelsa State used to generate and distribute its own electricity until 2006.

 "However, national regulations prevented the state from commercializing this sector. Recent constitutional amendments and the Electricity Act, 2023, now empower states to commercialize and establish market regulations.

 "The State Electricity Law has thus been introduced to create a regulatory framework that addresses barriers hindering the efficient operation of the State Electricity Market System.

 "The law aims to issue licenses to private investors, collaborate with existing franchises to expand electricity access in underserved areas, and enforce penalties for non-compliance.