We Initiated, Successfully Delivered Life Changing interventions In Different Spheres - Governor Duoye Diri At 2nd Inaugural Ceremony.

………announces .10- year economic Plan Summit for Bayelsa Prosperity.

The Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Duoye Diri says his administration in the last four years witnessed tremendous life changing interventions for the citizens of the state.

Speaking during the second inaugural ceremony of his administration on Wednesday at Yenagoa, the state capital, Diri said such interventions are in education, health, infrastructure, agriculture, sports and transportation, human capacity development, and Youth and Women Employment.

According to him, the second phase of his administration would prioritise power and Water supply,, Agriculture, “bolstering food production and security” with attention to” aquaculture,rice, cassava and oil palm production” as well as woo investors.

The governor said his desire to make Bayelsa economically prosperous required an articulate plan and the input of citizens explaining that it was for this reason that his government ” developed a comprehensive and ambitious 10- year economic plan” to strengthen the economy, “create jobs,attract investments, and improve the standard of living “for the people of the state.

He added that in a bid to ” kickstart the implementation of the economic plan, his government has concluded arrangement to hold an Economic Development Summit which is aimed to foster cross fertisation of ideas, “discuss opportunities, forge partnerships to accelerate economic growth “of the state

Governor Diri also assured the people of the state that he would work tirelessly to fulfil the dreams of the state’s founding fathers – to build a state that is the envy of the nation.and solicited the support of all Bayelsans towards achieving “this greatness”.

His Address reads in full;

Address of H.E Senator Douye, Governor of Bayelsa State, at his second term inauguration on 14 February, 2024 at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex, Yenagoa.

PROTOCOLS

BAYELSA – WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER!

Fellow Bayelsans, distinguished guests, and beloved citizens, today marks a momentous occasion as I commence my second term in office as the Governor of Bayelsa State.
I want to express my deepest gratitude to the people of Bayelsa for entrusting this great responsibility again to my Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo and I. This day marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another in our collective pursuit of prosperity for our beloved state.
Before I delve into the main points of my address, I would like to pause for a moment to honour the beloved memory of my late sister and prayer partner, His Lordship, Kate Abiri, the former and longest serving Chief Judge of our dear State, who administered our maiden oath of office. My thoughts are continuously with her family, and I pray that the Lord bestows eternal rest upon her soul, Amen.
In our first term in office, we made a solemn promise to pursue a path of Love, Reconciliation, Unity, Peace and Security because we understand it best serves our quest to ensure prosperity for all Bayelsans. As we embark on this second term, let me earnestly assure you that our commitment to the progress and advancement of Bayelsa remains steadfast. Your unwavering support and faith in our vision for a better Bayelsa fuels our determination to continue working tirelessly for our collective welfare and development.
Whereas we achieved remarkable milestones in various sectors during our first term, we also recognise that there is still more to be done. Indeed, we can say with humility that in the last four years, we did not merely count the years, we have made the years truly count.
During our first term, we worked to improve the condition of our roads, schools and hospitals, create more jobs for our people, and tackled the disunity and insecurity affecting our people. Four years later, we can modestly tell ourselves that we have done well. And this could not have been possible without your support. Like the legendary footballer, Pele said, “no individual can win a game by himself.” The synergy and trust among us has made it possible for us to come this far.
By effectively managing our resources, we have successfully developed vital infrastructure and implemented strategic measures in various sectors, which created opportunities for our people across the eight Local Government Areas and also established a robust foundation for optimism about our future prospects.
Under the Prosperity Administration, there is no culture of abandoning projects as we continued and completed a number of inherited projects while initiating new ones. So much so that it is safe to say our state resembles a humongous construction site.
For the past four years, this government has prioritized interventions in education, health, infrastructure, agriculture, sports, transportation, human capacity development, youth and women empowerment as well as security.
We are happy to report some life-changing interventions in different spheres, including prompt payment of pensions and outstanding gratuities, expansion of the State Health Insurance Scheme, introduction of a robust science, technical and vocational education programme and the construction of new technical colleges to boost manpower development. It is important to mention that we put in place a well-structured educational curriculum that is designed to meet the challenges presented by a fast-paced, technology-driven environment. Instead of placing undue emphasis on paper qualifications, we must shift our focus towards education that highlights practical skills.
Our government has also taken action in the area of sports development by organising an annual sports festival. Additionally, we have implemented a business empowerment programme for youths and women, providing them with N200,000 grant to four small scale businesses in each of the 105 wards in the state monthly. This programme has already benefitted over 3,000 individuals. The government has also introduced a robust skill acquisition programme.
Dear citizens, you will be pleased to know that we have initiated several strategic infrastructure projects within the state. Some of these landmark projects include the three senatorial roads that have opened up several riverine communities across the eight Local Government Areas of the state. I am excited about the potential of the senatorial roads in opening up extensive opportunities within our Blue Economy zone. These roads promise to unlock tremendous potential in this sector, allowing for significant economic diversification while ensuring the protection and conservation of our valuable marine resources. The 22.2km Yenagoa- Oporoma-Ukubie road, with a bridge constructed at Aguobiri, and which has so far reached Angiama community with work ongoing on the Angiama-Oporoma bridge across the Nun River. The 42km Sagbama-Ekeremor road has been completed with five new bridges at various points. Your government of prosperity in June 2022 flagged-off the very historic Nembe-Brass Road and commenced work on the first phase of 21 kilometres. I am happy to report that work is progressing well with sand filling now beyond 10 kilometres waiting for asphalting.
Your government also started and completed the new 10.8km dualised Glory Drive Phase 2, constructed and inaugurated the 21km Igbogene-Elebele Outer Ring Road in different phases as part of urban renewal plan for the expansion of Yenagoa metropolis. We also initiated the redesigning and remodelling of the Etegwe/Edepie Roundabout to ease flow of traffic and that problem has largely been fixed. The Prosperity Government while completing the dualisation of Isaac Boro Expressway initiated and constructed the new Etegwe bridge. Again in Yenagoa, the contractor handling the completion work on the dualisation of the Opolo-Elebele road will soon deliver the job. Your government equally initiated and inaugurated the new 6km Igbedi road, completed the Nembe unity bridge, completed the Imiringi bridge, initiated, constructed and inaugurated the Elebele bridge. Also, last year, we commenced construction work on the Akaba-Okodi road to link several riverine communities in Ogbia Local Government Area. The ongoing reconstruction of Onuebum-Otuoke road is almost completed. The Prosperity Government took over the abandoned Polaku-Sabagreia road from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and I can tell you that construction is ongoing alongside work on the connecting bridge between Yenagoa and Kolokuma/Opokuma LGAs. Again, we have started the Bolou-Orua-Akeddei-Toru-Ebeni road to reduce travel time between far end of Bayelsa West and Yenagoa, the state capital.
In addition to the already listed projects are over 50 internal roads initiated and constructed within Yenagoa and many communities across the local government areas. On our list of achievements also are the brand new Bayelsa Health Insurance Building, the new Finance Building, Ernest Ikoli Media Complex and the ongoing new House of Assembly and Commissioners quarters started by this administration.
We equally completed the Referral Hospitals in Kaiama, Oporoma and Ekeremor alongside the Psychiatric and Rehabilitation Centre in Ogbia Town. By prioritising the improvement of our healthcare system, we have provided accessible and high-quality medical services to citizens of Bayelsa. We have significantly adopted new technology to improve access to healthcare with the deployment of drones in partnership with Zipline for medical supplies to far-flung and riverine communities.
Through strategic investments in security, we have established a safe and secured environment for all residents, encouraging peace and enabling progress. The establishment of the Bayelsa State Community Safety Corps is a testament to our avowed commitment to security of lives and property of our citizens across the state.
Undeniably, through such significant investments, we are creating the necessary network that will facilitate seamless travel and boost development. We have laid the necessary groundwork for accelerated growth in our second term.
We have equally been dutiful in our commitment to transparency in governance, as we believe it is vital for fostering trust and accountability among the people we serve. Those who think we have run out of steam or ideas and that we will be resting on our laurels, I have news for you; we will not tire, we will not wither; we will not rest, until the prosperity our founding fathers envisaged for Bayelsa – the glory of all lands – is firmly and irreversibly entrenched.
We acknowledge the pressing need for re-engineering and concerted efforts in key sectors that play a vital role in the development and sustainability of our communities and state, particularly within the ambit of power supply, potable water distribution, and agriculture.
In the power supply, it is imperative that we invest in robust infrastructure and explore diverse energy sources to ensure a reliable and sustainable energy system. It is a welcome development that the Federal Government has liberalized the power sector and we commend Mr. President for this initiative. That informed our new Bayelsa Electricity Law to enable collaborations with both public and private investors, in harnessing the potential of alternative energy solutions. This will guarantee steady power supply and energise the way for economic growth and improved living standards.
Pivotal in our second tenure will be to address potable water distribution challenges via a comprehensive approach that focuses on efficient utilisation and equitable access to this precious utility. We will thus invest in water production and reticulation, particularly within the state capital.
In the realm of agriculture, we identify the importance of bolstering food production to ensure food security. It is crucial to expand the empowerment of farmers with modern agricultural practices, access to finance, improved seedlings and knowledge sharing platforms. We are looking forward to our institutions of higher learning engaging in research and development, promote organic and sustainable farming methods to help create a resilient agricultural sector capable of ensuring food self-sufficiency and raw material for value-addition. We shall focus attention on areas with comparative advantage, including aquaculture, rice, cassava and oil palm production, seeking new partnerships and investors along the way.
It is the strong belief of this Prosperity Government that our citizens should have a more active and direct role in shaping and participating in the economy. From small business owners and entrepreneurs to industry leaders and investors, everyone has a part to play in driving economic growth and prosperity.

With this vision in mind, we have developed a comprehensive and ambitious 10-year economic plan for the state. This plan outlines our strategies and initiatives to diversify and strengthen our economy, create jobs, attract investments, and improve the standard of living for all Bayelsans.

To kick start the implementation of this economic plan and to engage stakeholders, we are excited to announce the upcoming Bayelsa State Economic Development Summit in Yenagoa, the state capital. This summit will serve as a platform for sharing ideas, discussing opportunities, and forging partnerships to accelerate the economic growth of our state.
We eagerly look forward to having each and every one of you in attendance at the Bayelsa State Economic Development Summit. Together, let us shape the future of our state and unlock its full economic potential. Join us as we embark on this exciting journey of growth and development.

Whereas we acknowledge our modest achievements, we have not been desperate to hug the limelight because we always ascribe credit and thanks to the One who makes all things beautiful in His time. We understand that although Paul may have planted and Apollos may have watered, it is ultimately God who enables growth. Let us persist in working together for the benefit of all and to give glory to God.
The phrase “You can make many plans but the Lord’s purpose will prevail” from Proverbs 19:21 is instructive. It means that people can make all kinds of plans, but only the LORD’s plan will happen. Let us therefore set aside any reservation we may have after the elections and work for the growth of the state. For me, this also means that power comes from God.
Permit me to emphasise at this point the imperative of unity and togetherness. The African proverb, ‘if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together’, captures the essence of our journey ahead. We must remember that meaningful and lasting progress can only be achieved when we work together as a united front. Let us embrace the wisdom of this proverb and recognise the strength that comes from collaboration and corporation. Together, we can overcome any obstacle, achieve great feats, and build a Bayelsa State that is prosperous, inclusive, and resilient. WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER.
I cannot end this address without expressing my deepest gratitude to our illustrious founding fathers. Also my predecessors, most of whom have shown visionary leadership, unwavering commitment, and tireless efforts which have shaped Bayelsa State into what it is today. I say thank you. We stand on the shoulders of giants, and it is only fitting that we acknowledge and appreciate their contributions to our progress.
Likewise, I would like to acknowledge the warm reception and cooperation I receive from the Bayelsa State House of Assembly. As a one-time federal legislator, I can confidently say that contrary to what some may think, checks and balances are not meant to incite conflict or hostility, but rather, they are a vital form of collaboration that ensures the well-being of our citizenry. I am enthusiastic about continuing our excellent partnership with Mr. Speaker as well as the leadership and members of this esteemed institution.
In the same vein, I eagerly anticipate continuing the productive collaboration with His Lordship Justice Matilda Abrakasa Ayemieye, the Honourable Chief Judge of Bayelsa State and the rest of the judiciary. The honesty and hard work of the judiciary is the engine that drives our society. Similarly, cannot thank the Bayelsa State Civil Service enough, I see your labour, I appreciate your diligence.
To the State Executive Council and my loyal aides, I congratulate you on your sacrifices and industry as our first term in office officially ended today.
I deem it a happy coincidence that this swearing-in aligns with Valentine’s Day. The fulcrum of our first term in office has been love, peace and unity. Given the outcome and manner of the governorship elections, I am inclined to believe this message has been substantially imbibed by the people of Bayelsa State. HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY TO YOU ALL.
It is indeed gratifying to remember how united we stood in the face of the challenges posed by Covid-19 and the 2022 floods. Our collective strength and resilience formed an irresistible force that helped us navigate through these difficult times. The unity displayed by our community made a tremendous difference and allowed us to overcome these adversities together. Let us continue to foster this unity and cooperation as we face future challenges and work towards the betterment of our state. WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER.
Today, as we embark on this next phase of our journey, we find ourselves at a pivotal moment where the pages of history unfold before us. With boldness, determination, and a spirit of collaboration, we shall overcome obstacles and transform our aspirations into remarkable achievements. We are not naïve to imagine that progress will come effortlessly – it demands unwavering unity, commitment, hardwork and perseverance. We pledge to carry out our responsibilities with diligence and resolute purpose, ensuring that no task is left unfinished, as we strive to create a bequest of sustainable peace and prosperity for our people.
Together, we will achieve greatness and leave a lasting legacy for future generations. Let us work tirelessly to build a Bayelsa State that is the envy of the nation, a shining example of unity and love in action. Let us rise above political divisions and work towards a shared vision of a prosperous Bayelsa. Let us always remember – WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER!