Bayelsa State Chapter of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has scored Governor Douye Diri high on performance, saying he ranks above his predecessors in infrastructural development.
IPAC, in a statement by its state Chair, Simeon Imomotimi, and Secretary, Pastor Peace Oruama, to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence and 29th anniversary of Bayelsa creation, they said Diri had performed well in office.
The statement said: ‘Without mincing words, Senator Douye Diri, in our assessment, stands tall and unmatched among the persons that have administered the state to this point in terms of infrastructural development.’
IPAC noted that Diri was most outstanding in road network, social services, health, transportation, sports, health among others.
On road network, IPAC said the governor had done well to connect all the communities in the state listing Glory Land Drive phases two and three: the bridge at Imgbi junction linking Glory Land Drive; new Yenagoa city, Airport Road; AIT/Igbogene outer ring road; Onuebum/Otuoke road; expansion of Etegwe/Amassoma road: Prosco road and Ogu/Akaba/Okodi road, among others, as the governor’s interventions.
The statement said: ‘Senator Diri’s most outstanding achievement in road construction is the completion of earlier sections and furthering of new sections of three senatorial roads, namely Ekeremor/Agge road; Nembe/Brass and Angiama/Oporoma road with the bridge at Angiama near completion with spurs to Otuan, Enewari and other communities in Southern Ijaw Local Government’.
IPAC further lauded Diri for uplifting education in Bayelsa through employment of young Bayelsa graduates to fill up vacant positions in post-primary school board as classroom teachers; building and upgrading of school facilities, establishment of technical colleges to promote vocational skills and accreditation of new courses and programmes in the higher institutions.
The council insisted the governor had done well in health by encouraging primary health care services; establishing health a centre in each ward; referral hospitals in each local government and posting doctors to reside in rural areas.
On social services and sports, IPAC said: ‘Other indices for measuring Diri’s performance is provision of social amenities and services for Bayelsans.
‘Such lofty social amenities and services provided by Governor Diri include the modern gas turbine at Elebele, which is near completion; the first governor to Implement the local government reforms by voting out funds and clearing gratuities and pensions arears owed local government retirees.
‘Similar payment and clearance of outstanding gratuities and pensions arrears have also been effected.
‘We commend the governor for the construction of the Olympic standard stadium at Igbogene and placing Bayelsa in the front burner of sports through support of our sports men and women.
‘IPAC lauds Diri for a job well done in delivering dividends of democracy to the people.
‘However, like Oliver Twist, we appeal to His Excellency to do more by providing portable drinking water for Bayesans mostly those resident in Yenagoa and the LGA headquarters.
‘It also our further plea for His Excellency to also build units of low cost houses at Yenagoa and the LGA headquarters to accommodate the rapidly increasing urban and rural population in the state
‘This notwithstanding, we assure His Excellency of our full cooperation realising that it is only through our collective partnering that the dreams of turning our state into an Eldorado will be achieved.’