Pauline Onyibe 
The ‘Prosperity Government’ of Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State just celebrated its two years anniversary with a very big fanfare, although with the actualization of some projects including the construction and rehabilitation of over 20 roads even though some of the roads were done half-way while one lane of some others were commissioned. But in all, the government has tried its best as most of the streets in Yenagoa, the state capital, now can be assessed through internal roads. Most of them have not ever seen roads before. Some of the internal roads constructed by the Timipre Sylva’s administration that had gone bad were also rehabilitated by the current administration. Although he is not hyping his achievements except sometimes on Facebook even as he is not a man of many words, that has however affected the positive accolades that Governor Diri has gotten from Bayelsans.
Inner roads receiving attention
His administration has done a lot in the area of roads’ construction as was seen recently when the Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Ayiba Duba with his works’ colleague, Moses Teibowei took some journalists on a tour of some roads constructed and refurbished by the current administration. Some of the roads supervised by the team were Imiringi road, which is about 2.2 kilometres long, Doncott Street, Utaria Estate linking Erepa/Otiotio road, Edepie School Road of about 1 kilometre, rehabilitation of Agudama Law School Road among others.
House approves loans
No wonder the state government on March 9, 2022 asked the state assembly to approve a loan of N30 billion for her which the government said she was going to use for road construction. As expected the state assembly graciously approved the loan for the administration. In a letter sent in by the governor, which was read at the floor of the house, the governor said the loan was to fast track the ongoing projects in the state. According to the letter which was read at the floor of the House, the money will be used for the three senatorial roads, the outer ring road, AIT/Igbogene road and other major projects in the state. Part of the loan the letter said will also be used to kick start the Nembe/ Brass road which has been on the drawing board for many decades. Speaking in favour of the loan, the leader of the House, Monday Bubou Obolo, representing Southern Ijaw constituency 1, said everybody in the state was aware of number of projects that were ongoing by the current administration stating that it will be ideal if the House approves the loan so that development can get to the hinterlands. The Speaker, Abraham Ingobere said the loan was for the development of the state which cuts across the three senatorial districts. The Speaker described the governor as a prudent man who has judiciously uses the state resources well adding that the money will be prudently used if approved. He said: “For Bayelsa State to be economically viable, we must take roads to the hinterlands and make sure the roads hit the sea. The money if collected will not affect federal allocation into the state. “Workers’ salaries will not be affected. Pensioners will get what is due them at the end of the month. Nobody’s salary will be affected hence we will support the loan and throw our weight behind the governor.” The House therefore unanimously approved the loan which they said will be sourced through commercial banks or capital markets through bond. The loan it was disclosed will be repaid through the expected money to the state deducted overtime by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation as part of 13% oil derivation. Anyways, maybe the loan has been obtained and there are lots of roads’ construction going on in the state many people do not even have an idea of. That was why Ayiba Duba the Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy on the day of the projects’ tour once again assured Bayelsans that none of the projects started by the ‘Prosperity Government’ will be abandoned or left unfinished. The commissioner said that the government was committed to serving the people and addressing their developmental and socio-economic challenges. Sensing the pains the residents around the areas where these constructions are going on will be experiencing, he pleaded with people living within those roads to bear all forms of discomfort maintaining that at the end, it will be for their own good. Duba said: “Anytime we see issues, where people need things, we always go for it and give them what they want. “Any time you are doing any major project, there must be some discomfort and that discomfort will have satisfaction. I just want to thank those who live within the neighbourhood where these jobs are done for being so understanding at the end, it is for them. “As I have always said in the past, Bayelsans should understand that they are in the safe hands of Governor Douye Diri who is a man of humility and plans deeply, taking into consideration every factor before doing anything.”
New roads to be commissioned soon
Earlier, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mose Teibowei had said that in the next two months all the roads approved by the state executive council will be put in use. He said that he was very sure that all the roads will stand the test of time adding that: “Because of the level of competence being put in place, I’m very sure that all the projects completed will stand the test of time. “For the ongoing ones, I strongly believe that in the next two months we will be able to complete all the 20 internal roads that were approved by the state’s Executive Council. “Out of the 20 roads approved by the Executive Council only three are yet to be completed. We have done more than 20 like the Bayelsa Palm Road is not among the roads but has been completed. We have more than 20 actually done in terms of concrete roads. “The roads are referred to as rigid and flexible pavement. The 20 toads that were approved by the state Executive Council are all rigid pavement. Where we (Agudama Law School Road) are is a flexible ash fat which is not part of the 20 approved roads. “It was approved by his excellency for rehabilitation. The governors put into consideration people living around the area and the population more especially the school there, the population is over 2, 000 and the state of the road was very deplorable. So we decided to also carry on with the rehabilitation of the road. “Similarly the Imiringi Road was closed sometime in September or thereabouts. We thought we were going to complete it by December but because of some reasons, we could not do that but you can see that the road is totally rehabilitated and completed. “All the roads constructed are directly supervised by the ministry of works and infrastructure and we will continue to do more,” Teibowei said.
Benefiting communities delighted
Reacting to the road construction at the Edepie School Road, Benjamin Style the National President of Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM) and a resident of the School Road said: “The road I was told is being done by the state government. “These are the things we have been asking for although we were expecting the road to go straight to the express but this one is just 1 or 2 kilometres long. “We were expecting it to be expressed so that it can help all of us. Somebody can come from the back and come from the front. But I really appreciate the standard of the road that is ongoing. “It is a quality job. It is unlike the first one that was there that was substandard. The road stayed for only three months and everything scattered. “The drainage system is very fantastic and it will last,” he pointed out. Also speaking, Oyins Egrinbido another resident of the road said that the construction started a long time ago adding that the road is being constructed by the Bayelsa State Government against speculations that it was being constructed by SEEFOR. Egrinbido said: “I’m very happy about the road construction. I just pray that they will finish it on time before the rainy season sets in. “The road construction has been on since November last year. They have already finished the drainage system work. They have also sand filled some parts, let them just try and finish it.” Also Madam Preye Tankumo, a resident at Doncott Street around the Amarata axis of the state, said: “I’m very happy about the road. At least people can get to our houses easily now but it has really made the house rent to be very expensive. “Imagine that new house there (pointing at one new house around there) is N450, 000! “But we are happy. The road is very neat and we will not be putting legs inside water again when going out. I thank the Prosperity Government.”
