Bayelsa State has witnessed significant development in various sectors, including infrastructure, healthcare, and human capacity development, under the leadership of Governor Douye Diri. This was evident during the inauguration of projects in continuation of Diri’s fifth anniversary celebrations, where the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, and the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, commended the governor’s efforts.

The Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, in a statement, said Hon. Abbas inaugurated the newly-built legislators’ quarters in the New Yenagoa City, while Mutfwang inaugurated the reconstructed Onuebum-Otuoke road, linking former President Goodluck Jonathan’s community, Otuoke. Alabrah stated that Abbas described the legislators’ quarters project as a powerful demonstration of the government’s resolve to deliver only the best to the people. “Your leadership style, magnanimity, inclusivity and a strong sense of purpose has set a standard worthy of your administration,” Abbas said.

Governor Diri emphasized that the New Yenagoa City was well-planned, and developers of property must follow the plan. He noted that with the infrastructure put in place by his administration, Yenagoa was expanding and no longer what it used to be. Diri also issued a directive to the Ministry of Lands and Survey to acquire additional 360 hectares of land to be allocated to interested Bayelsans and other individuals. Alabrah noted that the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Moses Teibowei, said the quarters comprised 30 units of duplexes made up of one unit of five-bedroom duplex for the Speaker while 29 units of four-bedroom duplexes for the other legislators.

Daniel Alabrah stated that Governor Caleb Mutfwang expressed excitement about Bayelsa’s pace of development, saying, “God did not make a mistake in making Diri the ‘Miracle Governor’ of Bayelsa State.” Mutfwang announced a donation of N15 million to the Onuebum and Otuoke communities as well as students of the Federal University, Otuoke.

Governor Diri restated his call for an increase in 13 per cent derivation to oil-producing states. “We have difficulty but we have taken our destiny into our hands. That is why we tell the rest of the country that our terrain is not too difficult to develop. The resources are there. We only have to harness them justifiably and equitably,” Diri said. Alabrah noted that Diri explained that he took interest in the Onuebum-Otuoke road because of what the people suffered during flood seasons.

Daniel Alabrah stated that the road was constructed in fulfillment of the governor’s campaign promise to improve connectivity across communities. According to Alabrah, the Onuebum-Otuoke road is a single carriageway measuring approximately 6.5km with six culverts, a sand-filling height of approximately 2 metres and a width of 7.3 metres.

Present at the event were the wife of the governor, Dr. Gloria Diri, the Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, Deputy Governor of Delta State, Monday Oyeme, who represented Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, former Bayelsa Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John-Jonah, and his Edo State counterpart, Philip Shuaibu.