The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has dismissed reports on social media that a bridge project under construction in Otuogori community, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, had collapsed
The Commission said an incident occurred at the construction site of the 600-metre Otuogori-Otuegwe Bridge, but insisted that the bridge itself had not been constructed and therefore could not have collapsed.
Addressing journalists during an inspection of the project, the NDDC Director, Bayelsa State Office, Engr. Godknows Alamieyeseigha, described the reports as misleading.
“We don’t have a bridge yet because we are still at the stage of crossing the beams. So, no bridge has collapsed.
“However, there was an incident at the construction site, and we are assessing the circumstances surrounding what happened”, he said.
Alamieyeseigha dismissed suggestions that the incident resulted from structural failure, describing it as an accident during construction.
He expressed confidence that the construction company would address issues identified during the assessment and complete the project.
He also said no bridge had collapsed in Bayelsa State or any of the nine Niger Delta states.
The NDDC Director said the Commission’s current board and management, led by Chairman Chiedu Ebie, and Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, had prioritised quality assurance in project execution.
He added that NDDC engineers and independent consultants regularly inspected project sites across the region to ensure compliance with approved engineering designs and standards.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of the construction firm, Mr. Christian Emiezor, assured that the Otuogori-Otuegwe Bridge was being executed in line with high construction standards.
He explained that the project was still at the preparatory stage, with work focused on positioning the beams before the construction of the main bridge structure.
According to him, the incident occurred during the launching of the beams, which were being positioned on their bearings.
“We are constructing a 600-metre bridge, but as you can see, we have not constructed a bridge yet. What you are seeing is just preparations for the bridge”, Emiezor said.
He described the incident as a minor accident, explaining that a beam resting on a bearing but not yet secured could slide during the positioning process.
“What was going on was the launching of the beams, and in the process, there was a slight accident. Because the beam was resting on a bearing and had not been secured, it could slide. That was what happened”, he said.
Emiezor added that safety measures at the site prevented casualties. “The good thing is that, with the safety measures put in place, no life was lost”, he said.

Enoch Epelle

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has promised to increase the annual bursary for students in public tertiary institutions from N50,000 to N200,000 beginning from 2027.
The Governor announced this recently during a fireside chat on the second day of the Ibom Ignite 2026 Conference at Ibom Hall, Uyo.
He said the new rates would take effect from February 2027 after governorship election and as he will be sworn-in for another term to continue the government.
Eno said the increase was intended to help students from less privileged backgrounds meet their educational expenses.

“We started by paying a bursary, we moved it, it’s now 50,000 for every student. But again, to show you that we’re engaging, and that we’re thinking about young people, from February 2027 we want to make sure that our young people who come from the kind of background I came from can at least pay their tuition, bursary will move to 200,000″, he said.
He also pledged to sustain free and compulsory education at the primary and secondary school levels.
The Governor urged beneficiaries of the N50 million Ibom Ignite business grant to invest the money in their businesses rather than spend it on personal pleasure or unproductive ventures.
Describing the grant as seed capital for business development, he said beneficiaries needed to use the funds judiciously to improve their livelihoods.
“A seed not properly planted and tended was as good as dead”, Eno said.
Speaking of support for vulnerable residents, the Governor said his administration had built more than 500 Compassionate Homes for less privileged people across the state’s 31 Local Government Areas.
He added that each beneficiary received a N500,000 business grant to support their livelihood.
Eno promised to build an additional 1,000 Compassionate Homes and provide the accompanying business grants across the state’s wards if re-elected.

The Bayelsa State Government says it has upgraded 62 primary and secondary health facilities across the state in the last two years as part of efforts to expand access to healthcare delivery.
The State’s Commissioner for Health, Prof. Seiyefa Brisibe, disclosed this during the 201st session of the state’s executive council meeting in Government House, Yenagoa.
Prof. Brisibe stated that government also equipped and rehabilitated 49 primary and 13 secondary health facilities within Yenagoa metropolis and in far-flung communities of the state.
He praised the State Governor, Douye Diri-led administration for its investment in human capacity development initiatives, noting that it had improved welfare of health workers by directing that every health facility had residential accommodation with at least two sources of power supply.
Acording to him, another success achieved in the sector was the provision of ambulance services and the approval of various welfare packages for health workers aimed at enhancing productivity and effective service delivery.
“I stand here today, Your Excellency, to extol and celebrate your phenomenal development effort in creating access to quality and robust healthcare for all Bayelsans.
“Between 2024 and today, we’ve upgraded, renovated and equipped 49 primary healthcare facilities across the state.
“Also within this period, you’ve about creating access to those very difficult-to-reach areas. upgraded, renovated and equipped 13 secondary care facilities across the state. One of the most intriguing part of this investment is that it is not just about facilities in Yenagoa, but also about creating access to those very difficult-to-reach areas.
“You’ve also invested in all of the health sector value chain to improve access by providing ambulance services and also invested in human capital development.
“You directed that any health facility we renovate or upgrade or build must have residential quarters for the workers. You also directed that the health facility must have a minimum of two sources of power supply. That is, either it is solarised with a generator, or with the national grid”, the Commissioner said.

While presenting a delegation from the National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners (NAGGMDP) led by the President, Dr. AnnasIdris, Prof. Brisibe explained that the association had about 20,000 membership across the country under the employ of various state governments in secondary healthcare facilities in rural areas.
The NAGGMDP President, who presented an Award of Exemplary Leadership to Diri in recognition of his administration’s investment in the health sector, commended the state’s use of drone technology to deliver essential medical supplies such as blood and vaccines to hard-to-reach communities, as well as the renovation of primary and secondary health facilities.
DrIdris equally lauded the approval of improved welfare packages for medical and dental practitioners, including accomplishment allowances, specialist allowances and the reviewed professional allowances table, saying it will boost productivity and curb brain drain.
He recalled the association’s 2025 outreach through the Nigerian Doctors Foundation in Southern Ijaw, Sagbama, Ogbia and Yenagoa, during which medical services and assistive devices were provided at the state’s School for Children with Special Needs.
The Association boss canvassed support for the 2026 International Day of Persons with Disability scheduled for December 3, 2026 to cover the remaining four local government areas.
Responding, Diri expressed delight for the honour and dedicated the award to the Health Commissioner and the State Exexutive Council for their excellent work.
The Bayelsa Governor expressed his administration’s determination to prioritise investment in the health sector, stressing that Bayelsa was among the few states in the country with a specialised medical university.
“You can imagine the level of investment in certain institutions, and I am sure that your colleagues from Bayelsa would have taken you round the Bayelsa Medical University here in Yenagoa, and the other campus in Sampou.
“I believe you have seen what we have done, as you rightly mentioned, with Zipline in delivering health services to far-flung communities, which hitherto would have taken us a longer time to reach. But through the Zipline drone system, it takes only minutes for the requirements and consignment to be delivered to those communities. As a government, we will continue to prioritise healthcare”, the Governor said.
He restated his call on politicians and their supporters to engage in issue-based campaigns during this political season rather than resorting to abusive language, and advised them to guard against utterances that could cause disaffection and destabilise the state, noting that “beyond politics Bayelsans remain brothers and sisters.”

By: AriweraIbibo-Howells, Yenagoa