‘How Bayelsa is tackling multiple challenges

Ayibaina Duba is the Commissioner of Information, Orientation and Strategy in Bayelsa State. In this interview with PAULINE ONYIBE, he speaks on the achievements of the Senator Duoye Diri’s government in the last three years

Governor Duoye Diri is celebrating his third year anniversary. What are some of his achievements so far?

We have achieved a lot in the last three years. The Bayelsa State Community Safety Corps did its passing out parade for its graduates. After that, we commissioned the Bayelsa Health Insurance Building. Now, this building which has been completed was supposed to be commissioned some months ago, but for certain reasons, it was not because it was specifically meant for the Governor of Delta State, His Excellency, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa to commission. After that, we went to Igbogene to commission the bus terminal. We had the Jumat’s prayer as usual on Friday and we do this yearly for the Muslims, despite the fact that we are in a predominantly Christian state. There was a medical outreach in all the local government areas. But this year we flagged it off at Igeibiri. His Excellency flagged it off and then the health workers took it up simultaneously in all the eight local governments. We did three communities per constituency which made it 24 constituencies and they were there for about six days, two days in each community in each of the constituencies. Then, the judiciary quarters that was started by the last administration and we added some more buildings to it and if you are on that road, you will see what has been done. The prosperity administration also commissioned wand handed it over to the judiciary. Then on Saturday of the celebration week, we commissioned the permanent orientation camp we built for the NYSC. It has been in use but we commissioned it officially and handed it over to them. Last Sunday, we had the annual thanksgiving at the ecumenical center.

The administration once said that its heart’s desire was to link the rural communities to Yenagoa. How far have you gone in this regard?

We did the Glory Drive which links the Ecumenical Center to the Airport Road. The final segment of that road that will lead from that Airport Road, (formerly Tombia Road) is now officially Airport Road. From there we will take it to the Government House, Onopa. The contract for it will be awarded. The last section of that road, the Glory Drive, is not left out. We also did two internal roads, one at Akenpai and the other in Amarata.

What of the Etegwe Bridge that people said is not being done by your government?

We upgraded the bridge. Although our opponents were saying that it’s not Berger that was doing it and that it’s an unknown company. There are a whole lot of issues around that Etegwe roundabout. The Ministry of Petroleum, Shell, DPR, everybody is involved in anything you want to do around that area, because of the resources that are buried underneath, but to the glory of God, we’ve completed it. The same thing is also applicable to the Sagbama-Ekeremor road. And then His Excellency has directed that contract for the road to Agge, the last section of that road that is left will be awarded, so that the road will continue to Agge. So we are very ambitious but we think as a government we can get it done. For now the AIT to Imiringi section of that Igbogene-AIT road has been completed.

Why does the present administration concentrate more on road construction?

For some of us as individuals and collectively as a government, it’s embarrassing to say that this state was part of Rivers State, created the year I was born. Now for over 50 years in this time we have a situation where in a state like this, certain local governments cannot be accessed by road. It’s not because there is no likely access to these communities particularly these local government headquarters. The last time about a few days back, I drove on that road to Ekeremor and I was asking those who were with me, way back when we were in Rivers State, was there actually no land to Ekeremor?

The impression given was that there was no land to Ekeremor. I’m not even talking about Oporoma. The impression one got was that there was no land to Ekeremor to construct a road, but if you take a drive from the East/ West road to Ekeremor, you will now understand that there are large plots of land.

It’s amazing that people are even planting. There are plantain farms, cassava farms and then where was it coming from that it was a total swamp and it is difficult to construct a road. And you see, we came with that mentality even when the state was created. And for us as a government, whether it is a yoke, whether we were jinxed. Whether it was some kind of a mental degeneration, we have come out of it mentally. We believe that it can be done. And there is no reason why a state like Bayelsa with resources we have and our contribution to the national economy will be in a place where our local governments cannot be accessed by roads. It is unacceptable. And as far as the Prosperity Government is concerned, His Excellency is committed to ensuring that it must end with him. Like Agge is at the Atlantic so there should be no road but we have come to realise that it is possible to have a road to Agge. Look at what we are doing in Nembe/ Brass. Agip has been there for how many years the terminal is there? That is where crude oil is sold to the international communities and there is no road to it. And people are comfortable. No. The thing makes some of us become emotional and as far as I’m concerned, every government has its own propriety. One of the greatest things that we want to achieve is to make sure that Bayelsa State is connected by road. Every local government must be linked by road. That is why when you hear the capital outlay, somebody will come and tell you that to construct a road is one hundred and something billion Naira, and you are frightened. No. We cannot be frightened. Nobody believed that people could get to Angiama by road but today you can drive to Angiama. The boats of those from Southern Ijaw now berth in Angiama and you drive to Angiama. With the bridge going on as we get to Oporoma, we will get to Ukubie. It is something that needs to be done.

The bus terminal is also completed. What was the rationale behind that?

For the bus terminal, the idea came when the former governor, Dickson came on board. He said this idea of every vehicle coming into the city is not good. There should be a bus terminal where interstate travelers will come, park their vehicles and then the smaller buses and taxis can now take them within the city. That again is something worth doing. He started it, did what he could. We inherited and we have completed it and I want to say something; sometimes people just say the Prosperity Government comes to complete projects. Why don’t they start their own? If every government starts his own, you will litter the whole state with uncompleted projects. Like I always ask, if we keep the bus terminal there, are we leaving it for archeologists?

The then Governor Goodluck Jonathon started the bridge going to Oporoma and he completed it. So are we saying that because he left we should not continue that road?

When we have our second term and we cannot complete the road to Ukubie, are we saying that those that will come after the Prosperity Government should not be encouraged to take it to Ukubie? No. That is why I keep saying that followership is sometimes part of the problem because you infuse these ideas into leaders. They will say I didn’t start it, let me start something else. Glory drive issue came up. Goodluck started it. Timipre Sylva awarded the contract to an indigene. The project could not move forward because of litigation and all that but when we came, His Excellency invited the contractor and he was gracious enough to listen to him and withdrew the court cases. And told His Excellency to award to whom he wishes and today that segment of the road is completed. So when we left it what was the benefit to the state? We feel that what is good for Bayelsa is what we should do. I tell you there are no frivolities. No human is infallible though.

Some of these projects had been commissioned like the Ekeremor road and the judge’s quarters, they were commissioned by the past administration. And the issue of government implementation of policies in this administration. Can you shed more light?

The judge’s quarters was never commissioned. Remember I was in that government when we were told that we lost a case. A whole lot of people ran and we were the persons that stood with His Excellency the former governor until the last day. If you recall, those buildings were not fully completed. The Ekeremor Road what we did was a ceremonial drive through. And when we decided to continue with that road, we have done five extra bridges that were not part of the original design. This one we are talking of total ash fatting to Ekeremor and we felt that we have achieved a section of it and that we need to commission it from Orua to Ekeremor. We will not commission any project that has been commissioned. And for urban renewal, as we were doing good people were taking us to court. We have a lot of lawsuits against the government. But the thing is if you are mandated to carry out a responsibility, do it. We took pains to clear that Swali area. The same thing with Akenfa, Opolo Market, Edepie but when the people are coming, they will take their wares and run; the same in Tombia. That is why we keep running that jingles for the mentality of people who live in this city to change. I hope you know that we have set up a tribunal now. I don’t want to say things but people who are respected in the society are the people that sometimes go against what the government has put in place. Bayelsans must accept the fact that what the government is doing is right and buy into it and live it in their day to day lives.

What is happening to the Tower Hotel?

On the Tower Hotel, we wanted to do a PPP arrangement because some people wanted to take it. A lot has been going on, but I learnt that there are some structural issues even within the building. So that one, I don’t have the full details. I will not go into it. It is not that something was not done, but I know some of the people that wanted to partner with the government to run that place but this is not something that I can give you the state of that transaction now. So let’s leave it at that.

What is the government doing about the Bayelsa Palm?

On the Bayelsa Palm, certain decisions were taken before we came in. Those decisions are prevailing. When we get to an acceptable arraignment, we will let you know.

Is the Nembe/ Brass Road a Federal Government project?

The Federal Government was there before Bayelsa. The Federal Government created Bayelsa State. And we have been part of Nigeria for this long. For whatever reasons, nothing was done to take a road to Brass. I remember the day we did the ground breaking when Diete Spiff was speaking, he recalled when Rivers State wanted to do that road. As at the time that contract was for N3 million. Mind you, it is a Federal Government road but nothing was done. When the prosperity government wanted to take the bull by the horn and said we must go for it. We reached out to federal agencies.