Pauline Onyibe 
Synopsis
One of the things that makes a city beautiful is the aesthetic nature of that city hence a city is said to be beautiful if the settings, the buildings, the flowers and gardens among other features are arranged in their proper places. That was the reason why the current prosperity administration led by Douye Diri went ahead to demolish what they called illegal structures in 2020 where honestly many small scale business owners were badly affected leading to their leaving the state while few remained but were in a deep shit some up till today. But it was not a bad idea anyway as the demolition of the illegal structures brought out the aesthetic nature of the state. Like in Tombia round about, the place looks like small London in the nights. However as small as the city is, transporters established some illegal motor parks including some approved by the state government like the Ekeki park and so many other parks owned by the private transport operators. The mechanics also are contributing to the ugly nature of the city even though they had been moved to where is now called mechanic village, but many are still operating inside the town.
Transport terminal
With this and to make sure that the city is a place to behold, the last restoration administration under Henry Seriake Dickson started an all-encompassing motor park at Igbogene the out sketch of the city called Igbogene transport terminal. He couldn’t complete it before he left and the prosperity government completed it and it was therefore commission during the administration’s third year anniversary. This was one of the projects commissioned during the third year anniversary of Douye Diri which was celebrated in February 2023 when the administration clocked three years.
Diri speaks
Speaking at the bus terminal at Igbogene were the commissioning took place, governor Douye Diri said “We are here to commission this very important edifice, the transport terminal which again was conceived and started by my immediate past predecessor. “I had always accused him of starting too many projects. But you see the interesting part is that for the first time in our state, the baton of governance was handed over peacefully to a successor and the successor running with a relay race and that is a lesson to all of us in this state. “Public fund have been put in here by my immediate predecessor and if when I came in here, I abandoned this project, all of that money would have been wasted and that is why those who are calling for change who even have change as their motor, you should be very careful of them. However, when change becomes very necessary, even God approves of it. “You have heard it all from the honorable commissioner of works whom I will say has what it takes for the office he is holding, the ministry of works and the Bayelsa dredging company who had this contract from the my predecessor and continued with me and today we are here to commission this edifice. “Now to all of our transporters, those who are coming in from other states who have transport terminal littered all across our state, today marks the end of it. All transporters will terminate at this point. The state government has already procured vehicles that will take commuters from here to their destinations inside of Yenagoa. “But beyond being a transport terminal, I was almost querying my commissioner for works and Amos Waritimi, are you people actually building a transport terminal or a supermarket and they said that it was conceived by my predecessor. We have not changed anything rather, we are only trying to moderate the things that are there and I can tell you if you get in there, it is beyond a modern transport terminal and in this part of our country, this is one of the best. “We refused to commission it last year because I was not satisfied with the level of completion. Today, I‘m very satisfied that this edifice is ready for use.
Dickson’s role
Henry Seraike Dickson in his reaction, said “The governor has said it all that Bayelsa for the first time is seeing continuity in a very special way and the transfer of baton of leadership from one person in government to another also in the government. “And the benefits are numerous, I was happy sitting there a short while ago witnessing the formal commissioning of that wonderful building that will house the Bayelsa health insurance. That also is part of the dividends of continuity and you can see continuity in several ways. “I don’t want to preempt what the governor and the government will be doing but I have heard a few things from the grape vine that his government will be unveiling many more project that were started which he has continued and we have faithfully completed. “I want to thank him for all of these and to join him to say that community is not a bad thing. Continuity in government in terms of project in terms of policies while also doing new thing and new ideas. “That is what we expect and I and all mean well-meaning Bayelsans in this state are very happy of the posture of continuing and completing projects already started.
New zeal
“You know we came with a lot of fire burning in our bellies to make a difference in all sectors and for us, the recession unexpectedly crept in. It is just natural that some of these things have to stay back because God has decreed that you will do the finishing. “And so it is a good thing that you are finishing up while also doing your own. For all of who were part of the last government including the governor, we must continue to thank God for the miracle that he did by bringing in this government at that time. “It was a government we prayed for, a government we fought for, a government we worked for and all of them are people who were part of our administration. And the governor is demonstrating that being part of the government, he knew the essential direction that we were taking our state to. And you imagine what would have happened to people if some had taken over power from us. This place would have been a forest. “By now, may be Bayelsa will not be observing the thanksgiving law again, by now, may be they would have scrapped the universities that we set up or probably, there would have been no health insurance not to talk of building accommodating it. So, we must continue to thank God. Thank God that as they said who planted and watered and then some people harvested. That is the way God designed it. “You excellency, I want to thank you and your government for hav-ing the state of mind and dedication and patriotism to see through and protect policies to complete projects at different stages which was stopped not deliberately or intentionally.
Residents hail policy
“Nobody starts a project and abandons it but because we managed an unexpected recession for six years and yet we were to fight to keep our people in this place. And we are witnessing the dividends of democracy from that government. We are all very grateful. “This is an ultra-modern transport terminal. There is no facility you want to see here that is not here. This is like an airport. With this place now, with our airport functioning, governor we have to call your attention to the remaining one which is the deep sea port. Schools, hospitals, roads bring development. “Transport facilities accelerate development a thousand fold. There are cities around the world that are now known merely because they have a see port, an airport and transport terminal like this. “So your excellency, I want to assure you that I and all well-meaning leaders of our state will support your aspiration to continue to push the frontiers of development to Braas in the east, to hit Agge in the West, to hit Oporoma and ultimately Koluama in the central. “What interests me is that the state is on the right part of development. And I call for more support for this administration and I want to support the governor’s call that those who will use this facility should protect it and those transport operators will comply with the governor’s directive and come here and make our city far more beautiful than we have left it.
Govt policies
Also explaining the components of the transport terminal, Moses Teibowei the commissioner for works and infrastructure in is submission said the idea of constructing the ultra-modern transport terminal of the magnitude was conceived and commenced by the restoration administration, Henry Seriake Dickson.
The restoration government took the project to a reasonable level. With the emergence of Douye Diri, he continued with the construction supervised by the ministry of works and infrastructure. “The building consists of ground floor and first floor with each divided into three wings which are connected to the main lounge. These wings are equipped with ticket purchase points, waiting area for travelers as well as departure gate through which passengers move into their respective vehicles. “They also provide convenience rooms and secondary exit points while the ground floor is equipped with an arrival gate for incoming travelers and awaiting area. It also provides a restaurant for facility users, convenience rooms as well as two banking halls.
More efforts
“The main lobby is the central point connecting all the three wings together. Coming into the facility, travelers are received into the main lobby and then directed to the necessary wings. “The first floor is equipped with a medical center, multiple stores and convenience rooms while wing b consists of multiple written stores, administrative offices as well convenient rooms while wing d has an office space and retail stores. “In all, this facility has 68 conveniences. On the exterior of the transport terminal is equipped with the car parks, asses road from the gate to the terminal building. “Owners of transport business should gear up to take positions in the facility while other business owners can also apply within the transport terminal. We are confident that the commissioning of this facility today will serve as a partway for the handling of transportation business and promote an interface between transportation and helping passengers within the state capital and decongest the proliferation of motor parks and recede criminal activities within the state capital and further increase the IGR of the state.
