Rescind Your Decision Of Building 45 Billion Naira Secretariat: Wilson Advised Diri

 

Felix Wilson, a chieftain of BOOT  Party has called on Governor Douye Diri  of Bayelsa State  to reverse the decision and throw the proposed new secretariat project into the trashcan in the interest of the vast majority of Bayelsans who stand to benefit little or nothing from the ill-timed, ill conceived and completely uneconomical investment.

 The BOOT Party Chieftain described as a misplaced priority the plan by Douye Diri to construct a N45 billion nine-storey Secretariat Complex for civil servants in the state.

Wilson who was BOOT Party candidate for Sagbama Constituency 2 in the 2023 election for Bayelsa State House of Assembly stated in a press statement made available to journalists  on Tuesday that Diri's action was wrong in view of the chronic hardship and pervasive poverty in the state.

He stated that the project was not a high impact one that will trigger the desired multiplier effects on the already wobbling economy especially as Bayelsa residents are grappling with so many socio-economic issues such as flooding, lack of potable water, hyper-inflation, huge unemployment and persistent power black-out which the Prosperity Administration has failed to address.

He stated that  it was laughable that even  though the state is surrounded by water, residents cannot access clean drinking water and called on Diri to have a rethink and instead channel the resources of the state to quick impact projects that will ease the pains of the suffering masses.

Wilson who is also a businessman said with the right leadership and a responsive and responsible governance culture in place, the areas of comparative economic advantage will all  be potential money spinners waiting to be harnessed and revamped.

He said Diri does not know what to do with the scarce resources of the state noting  that "it is worrisome that in the 28 years since its creation, there is not a single industry operational in Bayelsa State."

He compared the governor's move to the alleged unprofitable action of the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, who was accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of spending N19 billion to print N684 million worth of bank notes.

The statement reads:" The nationwide economic strangulation has had a more telling effect in Bayelsa State than in any order state in Nigeria; with many families struggling to have a single meal each day as prices of foodstuffs hit the rooftop in Yenagoa and environs."

"The proposed Secretariat Complex with  a 30-month completion date was likely to become yet another white elephant project for siphoning public money just like the uncompleted Tower Hotel which has gulped billions of state funds with no end in sight."

"Bayelsans were watching his actions in relation to his campaign promises referencing the recent recruitment of secondary school teachers where he made a pronouncement to employ 2,000 teachers last year, and about 22,000 Bayelsans applied out of which 7,000 were shortlisted for oral interview after a written examination, and only 950 were employed."

"Bayelsa should focus on areas of strong comparative economic advantage such as glass manufacturing, deep sea fish trawling, aquaculture, rice production, the abandoned Igbogene fish farm, the moribund Bayelsa Oil Palm and plastic industry."

"He should at least be prudent enough to please leave the funds behind for his successor or invest it in resuscitating the Igbogene Fish Farm which was started by Governor Sylva, taken over by Governor Dickson and requiring only fencing and outsourcing to competent farm owners to manage."

The state Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Mrs Ebiowou Koku-Obiyai,  in her reaction said the project was due request over the years by civil servants for a befitting working environment.

Koku-Obiyai said the tag of misplaced priority is the opinion of Wilson saying that other Bayelsans are happy with the proposed project which will be a legacy project of the Prosperity Government.

She said the project will be prosecuted alongside other ongoing projects including the three senatorial roads and other priority projects of the state government asking if people are not happy at the Nigerian Content Tower building.

"The first second and third floors will have conference rooms. There will be a restaurant in the iconic building. Civil servants have longed for such a work environment."