How Gov. Douye Diri is Making Inroads In Governance Through The Construction of Roads

As it is well-known, only about a paltry 30 per cent of the entire oil-rich Bayelsa State can be accessed by road. No doubt, this road development scenario leaves a huge burden on the shoulders of the government, considering the capital-gulping nature of the swampy, riverine terrain of the state, about the cost of project execution. 

It, therefore, goes without saying that for any administration in Bayelsa State to be taken seriously by the development-thirsty Bayelsa populace, then it must rank road development a top priority on its scale of preference, considering the socio-economic hurdles thrown up by the absence of modern road network in practically 70 per cent of the state.

It is on this very score that road development is so dear to the heart of Governor Douye Diri -led Administration in Bayelsa State. This is why the administration has taken a very bold step to re-script the state’s poor narrative of road development over the years.

For instance, the government thought it meet and in the best collective interest of Bayelsans to build on the floor plan of the pivotal, big-ticket senatorial road projects it inherited from the immediate past administration of Senator Henry Seriake Dickson. It is making appreciable progress on all three senatorial road projects, which have been considered critical to the transformation of the majorly riverine state.  

Governor Diri and his prosperity team have earned plaudits from various quarters for mustering resources to forge ahead with the execution of Yenagoa-Oporoma Road, better known as the Central Senatorial Road.

Already, the major bridge to link up Oporoma from  Angiama in Southern Ijaw LGA is in progress.

This comes as a cheering development and offers a beacon of hope that driving from Yenagoa to Oporoma is very much feasible in the foreseeable future in the life of the present administration, with the rare political will on display from Governor Douye Diri.

On the western flank, the administration has completed all the connecting bridges on the 89km Sagbama-Ekeremor road, with asphalt laid from Toru-Orua through Ofoni to Ekeremor mean town in Ekeremor LGA. 

On the eastern flank, Governor Diri and his Prosperity Team have defied all odds to award the multi-billion naira Nembe-Brass Road project ( i.e., the Bayelsa East Senatorial Road). The cost of the project is no doubt prohibitive, given the marine nature of the environment, but as a saying goes, where there is a will, there is a way. 

It is heartwarming that the Governor is amply demonstrating the political will to deliver on his promise to embark on this multi-billion naira project to change the cartography of road development in the Bayelsa East Senatorial District.

It would be recalled also that from inception, the Diri Administration has rehabilitated several internal roads and constructed new ones within the state capital.

Among the roll call of other big-ticket road projects that are completed by the Diri Administration are the Glory Land Drive (Phase II) from the Ecumenical Centre in Igbogene to the Tombia-Amassoma Road, and the Dualization of the Isaac Boro Expressway (Phase II) from the Opolo Roundabout to Tombia/Ede-Epie Roundabout. 

Work is also being intensified on the 22km Igbogene/AIT Outer Ring Road to connect Bayelsa Palm in Ogbia LGA, amongst several others.

It is on this note I wish to join all well-meaning Bayelsans to call on the Champion of Prosperity, Governor Douye Diri, to remain focused on the good work he is doing to transform the state, and not allow some disgruntled political elements and media lapdogs to distract his administration. These disgruntled political elements are not comfortable with the good composure and rising credibility of the Diri Administration in Bayelsa State, especially in light of the steady progress the government is making in road infrastructural development.