Bayelsa State Government says 90 percent of the ongoing projects including 41 road projects, 18 buildings, a multi million Naira world class Diagnostic Centre and a multi door Court House will be completed and due for commissioning as part of the activities marking Governor Seriake Dickson’s one year anniversary. Contrary to fears being expressed in certain quarters, all ongoing projects being undertaken by the administration will be completed within its life span,an official said.
Conducting newsmen round some of the project sites within and outside the State capital, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Lawrence Ewrudjakpor said the decision to open up the state is aimed at attracting local and foreign investors.
“Our dream is to make Bayelsa the Dubai of Africa. Governor Seriake Dickson has given us the task and it must be accomplished.”
“When we took over, there was nothing to write home about in terms of infrastructure and that is why the Governor was angry to develop the state. All the ongoing projects as well as the ones earmarked for construction would be completed within the tenure of the present administration”.
“The government embarked on this massive construction projects because Bayelsa State is backwards and has nothing to report on unlike its other southern counterparts. Therefore, the target of this administration is to restore the lost glory of the state and make the state measure up to the other states in the southern part and a befitting state capital”.
“Also to ensure and prove that governance in Bayelsa State can have a face contrary to the negative opinion of people that nothing can work in Bayelsa State”.
The commissioner for works in an interview with newsmen, told the people to put away fears of projects being abandoned as the government is conscious of what it is doing and is angrily desirous to develop the state that is why they put in place engineers to supervise the projects.
Some of the road projects as listed by Mr. Ewrudjakpor include the 3 senatorial roads, re-construction and dualisation of Ekoli bridge, Tombia-Etegwe road, expansion of Eradiri road, construction of Bayelsa Airport road and construction of outer ring road.
Also enumerated were the building projects such as the world class Diagnostic Centre located within the premises of the Melford Okilo Memorial hospital, 4 secretariat annexes, Multidoor Court House for the state Judiciary, Nigeria Prison’s Service, Governor and Deputy Governor’s lodges in Yenagoa, Sagbama and Nembe.
