In the last one week, Very Important Personalities in long convoys with blazing sirens have been coming in out of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital to inaugurate different landmark projects in commemoration of the fifth anniversary of the Senator Douye Diri-led Prosperity Assured administration.
Among the notable Nigerians who were in the state to commission the mega projects and perform groundbreaking ceremonies were former President Goodluck Jonathan, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon.Tajudeen Abbas, the governors of Plateau, Akwa Ibom and Rivers states. Also, in the state was the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Mohammed Ali-Pate.
Some of the impactful projects are the state of the art Hemodialysis Centre, the Road 24 High Profile Road, Okaka, the new legislative and commissioners quarters, the Onuebum-Otueke road, the flag-off of the multi-billion naira Olympic-standard stadium, the NLC/TUC state secretariat complex, Road 2, the New Yenagoa City, among others.
This week, more long convoys and sirens will be seen and heard as the project commissioning continues. The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, the Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi and others are all expected in the state.
One interesting thing about Diri is his attitude of not abandoning uncompleted projects by his predecessor. It shows the value he places on continuity as a core policy in a democracy. Knowing that such projects are beneficial to the people and that money has been spent to kick start it, the governor extends his reach to ensure that he fully completes and put them into good use.
Among the numerous projects that has so far been commissioned and has become a reference point for good governance and a testament of Diri's commitment to put the wellbeing of his people far and above all other factors is the Hemodialysis centre. Located at the precinct of the Bayelsa Medical University (BMU) in Yenagoa, the state capital, the facility is top-notch and will help to boost quality healthcare service delivery in the state. From all indications, with the centre coming alive, Bayelsa became the first state in Nigeria to have a fully equipped haemodialysis centre that is capable of handling communicable diseases, cancer-related cases, and more.
Like the other VIP guests, Prof. Ali-Pate showered encomium on Governor Diri for his foresight and for prioritising the health of the people. He said the hemodialysis centre will strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system and provide life-saving treatment for individuals with chronic kidney disease. He also said the centre will bridge the gap in renal healthcare and offer localised care that meets international standards.
Indeed, Diri must be commended for his relentless effort to change the landscape of the once rural state with backwardness in infrastructure. His audacity to link a road from Nembe to Brass is baffling. Nothing is stopping his quest to achieve that. He believes and has emphatically stated it that for an island like Brass with all its economic and tourism potentials, a road should be the answer to unlock it.
Just like Brass, the governor is also on another audacious journey, to take a road from Ekeremor to Agge, the proposed deep sea port in the state. Diri knows that as a state, Bayelsa’s wealth lies in the ocean and by connecting roads to these far-flung areas, it will become easier to have all the access to the wealth and make the state the one-stop destination for businesses.
We admire his courage, and we join him to plead with the federal government to, as a matter of urgency, commit financially to these big ticket projects. It will be in the overall interest of the nation and not just Bayelsa. If the road to Brass is achieved, it will make the proposed fertiliser company and other industries there to take off. It will also become a destination for tourists with the breathtaking beautiful white powder-like sandy beaches there. For Agge, the deep sea port will help decongest the Lagos seaport and compliment it as well.
Today, Bayelsa enjoys relative peace, and this can be attributed to Diri's disposition. He has so far been able to manage all the political interests in the state. Members of the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) may be mistaken for members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because of the camaraderie and warmth he extends to them.
If the governor fulfils his promise of getting the gas-powered turbine ready by the end of this year, he would have also solved one of the most pressing challenges facing the state. It will be another legacy project he will be leaving behind. It will also be a great confirmation that truly he is a "miracle governor".
