Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has said despite recent upsurge in cult-related criminal activities and last Saturday’s abduction of Justice Ebieyerin Omukoro by yet-to-be-identified armed men, the state remains one of the most peaceful in the country.
Governor Diri also said his administration was committed to the safety and security of residents of the state and was leaving no stone unturned in tackling pockets of insecurity experienced in recent weeks.
The Bayelsa governor spoke to a mammoth crowd on Wednesday at the Oxbow Lake Pavilion in Yenagoa during the grand finale of his thank-you tour across the eight local government areas in the state.
Diri contended that no state in Nigeria was immune from security breaches and that recent criminal activities were not peculiar to Bayelsa, urging people of the state not to play politics with security issues.
Assuring that the kidnapped state high court Judge will regain his freedom, he implored traditional rulers and the people of Yenagoa to join hands with the government to sustain the peace in the state capital.
“Your government has invested so much in security and we recently installed CCTV cameras in Yenagoa.
“There is no state without some level of insecurity. No government can give you total security. But we will continue to solve the issues as they arise.
“The recent gestapo-style kidnap of a high court Judge was unfortunate and condemnable. But we picked up footage of the incident that we are using to ensure he is released.
“My dear people, you all have a job to do to keep the peace and security of Yenagoa. We are not spirits in government and we need credible information from you.”
Describing Yenagoa as a window to the state, Diri assured of his administration’s commitment to open up the state capital and make it comparable to any city in Nigeria.
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“We came to say thank you to our people and non-natives in Yenagoa. We came to say we appreciate you for re-electing my deputy and I for another term.
“Yenagoa is the window to the whole of Bayelsa State and that is why we have taken its development seriously. Today, we no longer have only one road into the capital as was the case. Yenagoa now has a ring road constructed by this administration.
“My predecessor started the transport terminal at Igbogene and we completed it. We are developing a new Yenagoa city comparable to any in the world. As we speak, your government is building an ultramodern, FIFA standard stadium in Yenagoa.
“We are also improving the skyline of the capital city with the construction of a nine-storey civil servants secretariat. We are equally making headway with our search for investors to complete the Tower Hotel. We will continue to invest in Yenagoa.”
The Bayelsa helmsman restated his call for the creation of more local governments in the state, saying Yenagoa was too big to be just one local government.
He said the council deserved to be split into five to include Yenagoa South, Yenagoa North, Ekpetiama, Gbarain and Biseni/Okordia.
Diri described as anathema a situation where the number of local governments was used to share the country’s resources, insisting that the state was being cheated due to its few number of councils.
He again advocated that states be constitutionally empowered to create local governments they can cater to and that Bayelsa deserved more than the current eight.
In his goodwill message, Senator representing Bayelsa Central, Dr. Konbowei Benson, said the governor was transforming the state through provision of hospitals, roads, and educational facilities, earning him a positive reputation.
Also, member representing Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Oforji Oboku, said the governor had justified the votes of the people of Yenagoa by his excellent performance.
Members representing Yenagoa in the House of Assembly, Ayibanengiyefa Egba (Constituency I), Waikumo Amakoromo (Constituency 2) and Ted Elemeforo (Constituency 3) as well as the Commissioner for Special Duties, Mazi Onuma Johnson, who spoke on behalf of the non-natives, all expressed appreciation to the governor for his visible development projects in the city and for creating a conducive environment for businesses.
They pledged the support of their constituents and the non-natives to the Diri administration.
The governor and his entourage, which included his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, National Assembly members, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abraham Ingobere among others earlier visited the state traditional rulers council secretariat where they received royal blessings and gifts from the monarchs in Yenagoa local government area.
