The Bayelsa State Government has said it is prepared to upgrade the Ijaw heroes’ memorial park in Yenagoa, capital of the state to an international standard.
The Tide learnt this during an interview with the Commissioner for Ijaw National Affairs, Elder Erasmus Uche Owaji Patrick.
He described the State Governor, Douye Diri as a pan-Ijaw leader, saying he was conversant not only with issues concerning the development of the state, but the entire Ijaw ethnic nationality.
Patrick hinted that following governor Diri’s resolve to completing all projects inherited from previous administrations of the state, the governor during the 44th state executive council meeting held sometime in August, this year has approved the reconstruction and overhaul of the park to a more befitting standard for late Ijaw heroes, irrespective of state of origin, sex and clan.
He noted however, that the prerogative of who qualifies to be interred at the park solely lies with the governor, stating further that such persons must have attained the peak of their chosen careers with proven integrity.
“We’ve not abandoned the Ijaw heroes’ memorial park. Soon you ‘ld see us remodelling that project to international standard.
“The governor during the 44th state exco meeting has approved the remodelling and overhaul of the heroes’ memorial park at the Ijaw House in Yenagoa.
“It would be reconstructed with the state-of-the-art facilities. a football field would be there, a gallary for events would be there, a car park and lots of other recreational facilities. And so, very soon you would see us working there”, he said.
Meanwhile following the recent visit of the executives of the Ijaw national Congress (INC) and a other prominent Sons and daughters of Ijaw extraction to president Muhammadu Buhari, the Commissioner has said that the absence of the state governor, Diri in that delegation was due to other important state functions that he had had to attend to.
He however, described the visit as historic, saying as against insinuations that the governor’s absent at the visit was a sign that he was not willing to support the INC was just figment of imagination from those who envy the cordial relationship between the governor and the INC exco.
The Commissioner noted that governor Diri has more than ever demonstrated his commitment towards the peace, prosperity, unity and development of the Ijaw nation, saying that it was because of the governor’s believe in the dreams and aspirations of the founding fathers of the INC which made him not to interfere in the Congress’ affairs before, during and after the elections of the extant executives.
“Governor Diri himself was a member of Congress. He was the INC’s National organizing Secretary, So he understands what it means to have a stronger, better united INC and Ijaw nation.
“And that is what he has done by not interfering in the conduct of the election that produced the current exco of the congress.
“To tell you how much the governor was committed to building a stronger and more united INC and Ijaw nation, just recently and he has since been doing, he approved and released funds for the running of the INC”, the Commissioner added.

By: AriweraIbibo-Howells, Yenagoa