By Carl Seiyaibo
Sen. Douye Diri who was born on the 4th day of June, 1959 hails paternally from the communities of Sampou in kalama-Owinari compound of Kolokuma/Opukuma Local Government Area, and maternally from Ayamasa in Engowari-Binware compound of Ekeremor Local Government Area, both in Bayelsa state. His composite citizenry birthed a responsibility that endued him with an absolute commitment and concern for the developmental scheme of the state and as well re-enforces his vision of knotting the chains of unity in the state.
Having been culturally and traditionally groomed and academically moulded and sandwiched in political mastery. He ventured initially into a socio-cultural political activity and was elected as the first Organizing Secretary of Ijaw National Congress (INC) and later held the positions of Executive Secretary, Centre for Youth Development in Bayelsa State and Commissioner for Youth and Sports respectively. He also held the positions of Deputy Chief of Staff, Government House and the Principal Executive Secretary to the Governor. He was a Council Board Member of the University of Maiduguri. At his political front, he held the position, Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Disciplinary Council, Bayelsa State and finally he was elected to the National Assembly to represent his people in the Federal House Representatives and the Senate.
Since his assumption of office as the governor of Bayelsa State, he has demonstrated his competence in the management of the state’s resources and has continually accounted for it through the monthly transparency briefings and had the annual financial statements timely prepared and audited. Apart from the statutory requirements, the physical projects executed attest and confirm how the financial resources are managed.
Senator Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party has performed creditably well based on the various key infrastructural and human capacity development across every facet of the economy.
Among these projects were the three senatorial roads linking up riverine communities in a state that is 75 percent marine. Most of these communities have suffered untold hardship as they can only be accessed by river craft, and boats.
In the Bayelsa Central Senatorial District, the road to the riverine Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, progressing to Angiama Community and a bridge linking it to Oporoma, the headquarters of Southern Ijaw LGA, is heartwarming. While, at the Bayelsa West Senatorial District, the road from Sagbama to Ekeremor with several bridges have been constructed in pushing forth the road project to the hinterland of riverine communities.
At the Bayelsa East Senatorial district; apart from reconstructing the collapsed bridge at Elebele which is a major link to many communities in the senatorial area, the government has mobilized a construction giant, Setraco Nigeria Limited, to commence work on the construction of Nembe–Brass Road, a project which has been in the drawing board for several years. These roads, which are critical to the economic development of the state and the country in general when fully completed, would also go a long way to curb the twin problems of sea piracy and rural-urban drift.
Besides completing the age-long bridge linking the ancient towns of Bassambiri-Nembe and Ogbolomabingi-Nembe, populary called “Unity Bridge”, whose construction stopped years ago, the Diri administration has also completed the construction of a bridge at Aguobiri Community in Sagbama LGA. These are part of the integrated rural development policy of the Diri administration in its conscious efforts to link up as many communities as possible.
What is happening in Bayelsa State under Governor Diri is a quiet infrastructural revolution to the admiration of even his critics. Another important road the governor has completed its construction is the first phase of the new Gloryland Drive which runs from the gateway at Igbogene linking it to Amassoma road. The project which is critical to opening up that axis of the Yenagoa metropolis will put an end to the one trunk road syndrome in the state capital, Yenagoa.
Meanwhile the construction of a ring road connecting Opolo-Elebele to the Igbogene Gateway is in progress and is about 85 percent completed. Apart from the construction of a major highway from the airport to Igbedi Community which until now was accessible only by river. In addition to that, the state government embarked on mass construction of over 50 internal roads within the Yenagoa, metropolis; among these are the Edepie School Road, Royal FM Road, just to mention but a few. In the area of education, the Diri administration has endeared itself to the education conscious people of the state by its huge investment in the sector. Apart from the massive rehabilitation and construction of new schools across the state.
Sun Pg 1.pmd
•Seiyaibo, PhD, FCA, lives in Yenagoa.
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