Bayelsa Governor, Douye Diri has kicked off a ‘thank you’ tour to the eight local government areas of the state to show appreciation for their support to his administration.
The Governor who commenced the tour on Monday from Brass Local Government used the occasion to take a first boat ride from the Ikiberi Creek in Nembe to Twon, headquarters of the Brass council to celebrate the reduction in travel time following ongoing construction of the 21km phase one of the Nembe-Brass road by his administration.
The journey to Twon, which lasted about 30 minutes, previously took about one hour by boat from Nembe and two hours from Yenagoa, the state capital.
The visibly excited Bayelsa governor said the commitment of his administration to link all local government headquarters in the state by road from the capital was on course.
Diri appreciated the people of Brass for their immeasurable support in the November 2023 governorship poll despite having a major opponent from the area.
A statement by the Governor’s spokesman Daniel Alabrah said mammoth crowd welcomed the governor’s entourage, which included his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Solomon Agwana, and top government officials, as they arrived the new Twon-Brass pavilion.
He commended the people for standing against agents of violence and malpractices, which ensured his re-election.
Diri noted that his acceptance in Brass cut across political parties as non-PDP members played significant roles for his victory based on their conviction and not financial gains.
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“We came to thank the great youths, women, leaders and elders of Brass Local Government Area on behalf of your Government of Prosperity.
“This is not a political party gathering. Rather it is a gathering of every Brass man and woman that contributed, voted and stood by their votes to ensure your government was brought back.
“Some of you from other political parties even worked like they were members of PDP. I thank you all.
“We started this thank-you tour from Brass as this is where the number three man in the state comes from as well as the place of the only woman representing us in the National Assembly.
“This is also an area we are constructing a road that had been on the drawing board from time immemorial. Where people said the terrain was too difficult but we are here to say it is not that difficult.
“Today, I got here through that road. We drove from Yenagoa to the Nembe-Brass road, to the point called Ikiberi, and from there by boat we came into Twon-Brass under 30 minutes.”
Diri said the second phase of the road worth N120 billion was awarded by the President Bola Tinubu administration after several formal letters by his administration to the federal government were ignored by the immediate past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He emphasised that the road will turn Brass into a hub of commercial activities that would boost the livelihood of the people and the tourism potential of the area and the state.
He approved the request to rehabilitate the Brass General Hospital and directed the Commissioner for Health to take the necessary actions.
In his remarks, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Abraham Ingobere, commended the governor for his strategic approach to governance, especially his robust relationship with the legislature and judiciary.
Ingobere recalled the peaceful atmosphere engendered by the governor’s approach to the opposition political parties during the governorship poll and how it positively benefited the PDP.
The Speaker also noted that the governor has invested huge state resources on the Nembe-Brass road as though he was from the area while equally commending him for his relationship with the government at the centre, which resulted in the presidential approval of the second phase of the project.
Member representing Nembe/Brass Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mrs. Marie Ebikake, said the people spoke in one voice through the ballot as a way of repaying the good works of the governor.
The Commissioner for Community Development, Mr. Alfred Belemote, said Brass Constituency 1 has witnessed unprecedented government presence under the Diri administration and that the people were proud to identify with the governor.
In a welcome address, chairman of Brass Local Government Area, Mr. Lucky Febo, said the people were happy to host the governor and that his victory at the last governorship poll was a reflection of their appreciation for his commitment towards changing the developmental narrative of the area, particularly through the Nembe-Brass road project.
On arrival, the governor visited the palace of the Amanyanabo of Twon-Brass, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, where he received royal blessings.
On his entourage were the Senator representing Bayelsa East, Chief Benson Agadaga, his Bayelsa Central counterpart, Dr. Konbowei Benson, and House of Reps members, Dr. Mitema Obordor (Ogbia federal constituency) and Oforji Oboku (Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma federal constituency).
Others were the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Nimibofa Ayawei, Chief of Staff, Government House, Dr. Peter Akpe, among other government functionaries.
