In solidarity with the 2nd anniversary of the Prosperity administration of Senator Douye Diri, a group of youth leaders under the aegis of Bayelsa Eminent Youth Leaders Forum (BEYLEF) embarked on an independent, self-funded and assessment of the various developmental projects of Senator Diri. The essence of the tour, according to the group, was to have first-hand information on the projects executed and those still under construction.
Among the projects inspected were the popular Elebele Bridge in Ogbia Local Government Area, the 4.58km Igbedi road project, the Nembe Unity Bridge, the 21st Century Information House, Bayelsa Central Senatorial District road connecting Yenagoa and Southern Ijaw, Sagbama-Ekeremor road and other roads nearing completion within the heart of Yenagoa and its environs.
The groups, made up of members of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) among others, noted that despite the issue of paucity of funds facing states, Bayelsa under the administration of Governor Douye Diri has become a huge construction site and with the commissioning of projects which the state witnessed in the past few days, Bayelsans experienced the harvest of life transforming projects.
Speaking during a media interactive session held after the tour at the Secretariat of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Yenagoa, the Chief Convener of the youth groups, Comrade Ebilade Ekerefe, while acknowledging the very significant steps the governor has taken to integrate youths into the mainstream of his government, appealed to Senator Douye Diri to put into consideration and approve the earnest desire of the youths to have a separate ministry solely for youth affairs as well as create the office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth Affairs.
According to him, splitting the Ministry of Youths and Sports will greatly cement the youths with the prosperity government and would further energize the youth constituency which constitute about seventy percent of the voting strength in the state to be properly mobilized for governance and other social and political responsibilities.
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Ebilade said, “A greater number of youths have been given opportunity to contribute to the development of the state. This has given the youths a sense of belonging and the youths are prepared to reciprocate this kind gesture in due season.
“Almost every sector of the state is experiencing a breath of fresh air. The state has recovered from the global pandemic and other economic and financial storm through the pragmatic financial engineering of the Miracle Governor and his team: presently, the state is witnessing buoyancy and prosperity.
“The group humbly requested for the splitting of the Ministry of Youth and Sports. And that the youths are yearning for a separate and solely Youth Ministry that will coordinate the affairs of the youths of the state and also the office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth Affairs, as a youth oriented and compassionate governor he promised to look into the request of the youths, which he promised would be communicated to the youths in no distant time”.
The Youth groups also passed a vote of confidence on Governor Douye Diri and his Deputy, Sen. Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo over the critical assessment of the silent infrastructural revolution that is taking place in the state and other sectors of the economy in spite of the dwindling finances.
Ebilade said, “Their charismatic disposition and glowing leadership attributes has arrested and endeared them to the youth community and we are so proud of their achievements thus far as we continue to partner for a prosperous Bayelsa state”.
“Governor Diri has intervened in many areas of the state. On health, education, sports, agriculture; etc. This has greatly impacted on the human capacity development of the state. For instance, the 60 – metric tons daily Cassava Processing Factory at Ebedebiri, in Sagbama Local Govt. Area has commenced operations and would absorb a significant number of youths in the state. Also, the rice production facilities in the state would productively add value to the economy of the Bayelsa State and put the highly productive energy of the youths in the state into gainful ventures thereby reducing crime and criminality.
“Education, health, sports and security have all witnessed massive intervention within the two (2) years of the Miracle Governor’s reign in office – this has greatly improved the Human Capacity Development index of the state within our clime and amongst other developing nations”.
“The state under the effective and sagacious leadership of the Miracle Governor, Senator Douye Diri has witnessed massive urban modernization and infrastructure renewal. Schools have been renovated, primary, secondary and tertiary health facilities have been upgraded and improved upon, internal road networks within Yenagoa metropolis have been reconstructed and giving a facelift, street lights in major roads and neighborhood has tremendously increased night life and enhanced security in the state with its huge beneficial economic impact, and with the assent of the governor to the Community Corps Safety Law of Bayelsa 2021, the security architecture of the state has been reinvigorated and primed to effectively tackle criminal tendencies through community participation in policing and intelligence gathering to nip crime and criminality in the bud”.
The Youth groups also described the last two years of Governor Douye Diri as one that has brought peace and harmony among stakeholders despite different political infractions.
“The state has witnessed an unprecedented cooperation and a patent political harmony that has enveloped the state. The governor, Sen. Douye Diri has left no one in doubt that he is a man of peace and his mission is to turn around the economic and political fortunes of Bayelsans and the Ijaw nation. He is an apostle of politics without bitterness.
“Members of the prominent opposition party and others not too prominent political platforms have been giving an opportunity in his government to contribute meaningfully towards the development of the state. The opposition political leaders in the National Assembly and at the Federal Cabinet are enjoying a seamless and result oriented political collaboration with the Miracle Governor and his dynamic team. The governor has ensured that the political environment in the state is conducive for members of his party and others from the opposition to operate unhindered, unrestrained, unmolested and unimpeded.
