WISDOM ONIEKPAR IKULI
Gov. Douye Diri is an outstanding strategist and a development expert.
Before proceeding to the crux, it is pertinent to present two scenarios that will help to communicate my message.
A leader felt that his people are very poor. He believed that they are far behind their contemporaries in the country economically.
So, in order to alleviate the plights and conditions of his people, he decided to share money to individuals as a way of empowerment.
Some of them who were very poor began to celebrate their new status and new found wealth. In the process, some built new houses, bought cars, and married many wives.
But overtime, greater percentage of them became very broke because the free money was no longer there.
In another scenario, a leader felt that the best way to create sustainable wealth was to create enabling environment for businesses to thrive. He built infrastructure, roads and also provided electricity and other basic infrastructure. He built industries and also invited other businesses to relocate to the environment. Because of the above, various businesses are flourishing, and there is so much expansion.
Gov. Douye Diri, as a development expert, learned a big lesson from the development history of old Rivers State.
The early administrations in Rivers State concentrated developments in Port Harcourt. All the higher institutions and major government establishments were located in Port Harcourt.
Because of the above development, Port Harcourt became overcrowded and congested. Public infrastructures were overstretched. Traffic became one of the biggest problems like Lagos State.
But in neighbouring Delta State, the successive administrations deliberately developed many cities. They prioritized the building and development of their respective urban centres so that they can help to absorb the shocks and pressures of regular rural-urban migration.
Due to the unimaginable pains and the impacts of the large population in Port Harcourt, successive administrations starting from that of Sir Dr Peter Otunanya Odili started opening up and developing the various local government headquarters and other urban centres.
The new strategy is helping Rivers State in no small measure. The presence of the new institutions and campuses and other government establishments that are located outside Port Harcourt are helping to cushion the effects and impacts of rural-urban migration in Rivers State.
At a point Bayelsa State almost made the mistake of one-city state, but successive administrations swung into action.
For example, the location of Niger Delta University at Amassoma, has helped to open up Amassoma and it’s environ. Millions of Naira circulate in the communities daily. Social interactions have improved drastically.
The location of the Isaac Jasper Boro College of Education, University of Africa and other federal and state institutions has helped to open up the Sagbama axis. Today, millions of Naira circulates in that area. Social interactions have improved drastically.
The same applies to the location of the Bayelsa State College of Health Technology at Otuogidi in Ogbia LGA, the location of the Bayelsa Medical University (BMU) at Sampou in Kolokuma-Opokuma LGA and the Bayelsa State Polytechnics at Aleibiri in Ekeremor location of Bayelsa State respectively.
The Federal University at Otuoke in Ogbia LGA and the Federal University of Agriculture, Nembe in Nembe LGA are impacting very positively on the economies of those areas.
Before now, road was the biggest problem of Bayelsa State. Many visitors and investors especially those who do not know how to swim were afraid of coming to Bayelsa State. They were afraid of water travel, and over 55% of the state is riverine.
It is also an established fact that the vast wealth of countries that have oceans and seas are in the water.
Bayelsa State owns the largest coastline in Nigeria that measures well over 203 kilometers. Sadly, Bayelsans have not been harnessing the abundant wealth in the ocean and sea due to a lack of access roads to them.
The moment there is access road to Brass, the hub of crude oil and gas activities, Agge a marine entry point where ships that go to Lagos passes and the southern Ijaw area, thousands of jobs shall be created. Fish and other seafood shall be in abundance because there will be increased and improved fishing activities. The beautiful beaches in Bayelsa State shall be accessible. The benefits are almost immeasurable.
Gov. Douye Diri the proponent of the ongoing INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION in Bayelsa State is a visionary leader, which is the reason he is constructing the multi-billion Naira Nembe-Brass road, Ekeremor-Agge road, Yenagoa-Angiama-Oporoma-Otuan road and others.
His dream is to make Bayelsa State an economy hub.
The newly built 60-Megawatts Brand New Gas Turbine that will soon be commissioned by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will have an overwhelming positive impacts on the economy of the state.
Bayelsans should continue to pray for our God-sent miracle and prosperity Gov. Douye Diri so that he will finish very strong.
– HON. WISDOM ONIEKPAR IKULI
Technical Adviser to the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State on Media and Public Affairs.