By Amos Odhe, Yenagoa
The governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has said political opponents, talking about industrialisation of the state, have no idea what it takes to achieve it.
Diri said rather than politicise it, his administration was laying a solid foundation to position the state for industrialisation by investing hugely in road infrastructure and working towards stabilising power.
He said the state government had already gone into a partnership with a private firm to rehabilitate and expand the capacity of the gas turbine at Imiringi in Ogbia Local Government Area.
The Bayelsa governor spoke on Saturday at Amassoma at the palace of the monarch of Ogboin clan, King Oweipa Jones-Ere, as he rounded off his four-day re-election campaigns in communities across Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.
He averred that while it is the responsibility of government to provide the enabling environment through the provision of basic infrastructure, the private sector partnership and investment were equally important in engendering a viable economy.
Diri further stated that it was not the sole duty of the state government to industrialise the state.
He said: “Our state is yet to industrialise and still heavily dependent on government. It will take some time for us to be an industrialised state.
“A lot of people think it is the government that actually industrialises a state. A thousand times No. Government only provides the enabling environment for private capital and partnership with government to industrialise. By God’s grace, we will get there,” he said.
The governor thanked King Jones-Ere for his leadership style that ensured peace in the kingdom that is host to the state’s pioneer tertiary institution, Niger Delta University at Amassoma.
Speaking through spokesperson of the Council of Chiefs, Chief Albert Karikarisei, the monarch congratulated the governor for achieving almost a hundred per cent success in his first tenure and prayed that his journey to the second tenure would be smooth.
Highpoint of the governor’s visit was the presentation of a giant umbrella, symbolizing the king’s protection on the governor all through his campaigns.
The governor earlier visited the Amananaowei of Amassoma community, Chief Douyi Naingba, as well as inaugurated the remodelled community town hall, which is a constituency project of Mr. Bonny Ayah, the member representing Southern Ijaw Constituency 1 in the House of Assembly.
The governor’s campaign trail moved to the Amassoma civic centre where it was received by a mammoth crowd of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members and supporters.
Governor Diri reeled out some of his achievements, including the recent reinstatement of over 600 staff of the NDU, who were largely from the community.
He said he was not in Amassoma to campaign but to identify with his people, who had always demonstrated love for him and the PDP even as he thanked them for standing by his government.
Political leaders from Amassoma and the local government area, including the Senator representing Bayelsa Central, Dr. Konbowei Benson, member representing Southern Ijaw in the House of Representatives, Rodney Ambaiowei, Mr. Bonny Ayah, the Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr. Keme Wariebi, his Budget and Economic Planning counterpart, Chief Akpoebide Alamieyeseigha, Chief Abel Ebifemowei, Chief Joseph Akedesuo among others all gave solidarity messages and assured the governor of massive support and votes in the community and the local government.
Earlier at Otuan, Diri stated that the community would be linked by road through the ongoing Yenagoa-Oporoma road and that his administration had already installed solar-powered light and renovated the community school.
He also directed the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure to immediately ensure continuation and completion of the internal concrete road project in the town.
He stressed that his government was community-friendly and would not abandon the rural dwellers.
The campaign trail also stopped at Amatolo community where Diri directed the installation of solar light across the town and assured that the Toru-Ebeni road project, that had already been awarded, would connect Amatolo to the rest of the state.
In his welcome address, the Amananaowei of Amatolo community Chief Orubiri Navy, thanked the governor for appointing sons and daughters of the community into his government and for directing the repair of the community’s power generation plant.
