Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has rendered his stewardship account at the Ecumenical Center in Yenagoa during a thanksgiving service to mark his fifth year in office celebration.
The Tide reports that the well-attended event had prominent Nigerians, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, his wife, Dame Patience, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Plateau State Governor, Caleb Muftwang and National Assembly members among others.
The event had renowned Ghanaian preacher, Dr. Otabil Mensah, as the guest speaker.
The Bayelsa State Chief Executive, in his remarks, said the state was witnessing transformation with the completion of several impactful projects as well as ongoing newly-awarded ones.
The Tide further reports that Governor Diri listed projects his administration was executing to include three senatorial roads, particularly the Bayelsa Central road inaugurated this year, which he said would get to Oporoma, headquarters of the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
He also stated that with the support of the federal government, the second phase of the Nembe-Brass road in Eastern Senatorial District would come on stream, while the ongoing first phase would be 90 per cent completed by the end of this year.
On account of the abundant sporting talents in the state, Governor Diri said his administration would be constructing a 25,000-seater FIFA-standard stadium to be flagged-off by Dr Jonathan today, Monday.
He also stated that his administration was addressing the issue of civil servants office accommodation by commencing the building of an iconic nine-storey secretariat complex, just as he said the contractor, Megastar Limited, had already been paid 50 per cent of the project cost.
On education, Governor Diri said there had been a paradigm shift to science and technical education and that government had built and equipped five science and technical colleges across the state, directing the Commissioner for Education to ensure that the two local government areas yet to be covered were completed this year.
On epileptic power supply in the state, the Bayelsa helmsman said it will be a thing of the past when the 60mw gas turbines worth $60 million arrive the state.
“All of these projects run into billions of naira. Of course, the one that will make all of us happier and affects everyone is electricity.
“We’ve agreed with a private company that is supplying us 60mw Gas turbines, big enough to serve not only Yenagoa but the whole of Bayelsa State.
“We’re expecting the gas turbines to arrive Nigeria in the next two months and I can promise you without looking back that by the end of this year, we will have 24 hours independent power supply”, he said.
In his goodwill message, Vice President Kashim Shettima, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Economic Matters, Dr. Tope Fasua, commended the significant development and economic progress achieved by the present administration.
He said the state was diversifying beyond crude oil and gas, which include agriculture, fishery and sports, that are crucial to the state’s prosperity.
The Vice President noted that the commencement of commercial flights at the Bayelsa International Airport was a significant infrastructural development, just as he applauded the governor for his reforms which he said included the governor’s announcement of a minimum wage of N80,000 to workers in the state civil service.
Vice President Shettima also acknowledged the state’s impressive economic statistics with Bayelsa having the ninth highest GDP in Nigeria and the second highest GDP per capital after Lagos State.
In a sermon titled: “Wisdom,” Dr. Otabil Mensah said all over the world, the most deprived, underdeveloped nations were in Africa but it was still the most endowed and spiritually-blessed continent.
Dr. Mensah criticised Africans that pray mostly against fellow humans, saying true wisdom does not destroy but build.
He urged Africans to use wisdom to transform the immense wealth God had deposited in the land.
Dignitaries at the service were Deputy Governor of the State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, Deputy Governor of Delta State, Monday Onyeme, former Military Governor of old Rivers State, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, and another former Rivers State governor, Chief Rufus Ada-George.
Others were two former Military Administrators of the State, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (Rtd) and Colonel Edor Obi (Rtd) as well as former Acting Governor Werinipere Seibarugu and former Deputy Governor, Peremobowei Ebebi.
Also present were Senators Sunday Katung, Konbowei Benson, and Benson Agadaga as well as Bayelsa House of Reps members – Dr. Fred Agbedi, Marie Ebikake, Rodney Ambaiowei, and Oforji Oboku.
Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Abraham Ingobere, National Chairman of Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Dr. Boladei Igali, Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Nimibofa Ayawei, chairman, Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, King Bubaraye Dakolo, the Amanyanabo of Nembe Kingdom, King Edmond Daukoru, NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku and other top government functionaries were also in attendance.

Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa