By: Odie Ramon, Yenagoa.
Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has applauded the state’s athletes to the just-concluded maiden Niger Delta Sports Festival for their first place finish.
Bayelsa topped the medal table winning 42 gold, 29 silver and 15 bronze ahead of Delta State that had 41 gold, 26 silver, and 32 bronze medals.
The week-long festival, held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, with over 3,000 athletes from the nine Niger Delta states participating in 17 sports, was sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Governor Diri, who gave the commendation on Wednesday at the 159th session of the state Executive Council in Government House, Yenagoa, said the feat achieved by the state’s team demonstrated team work, perseverance and good management.
The governor stressed that the laurels won by the team has justified that his administration’s decision to construct a stadium was not misplaced, as it would be useful in grooming more talents to bring honour to the state.
Diri said: “I welcome Team Bayelsa who were in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, to participate in the maiden edition of the NDDC sports fiesta. We closely monitored it and at the end of the day, Bayelsa State emerged champions.
“Team work, individuals at their best, good management and perseverance paid off. I hope and believe that this will be the turning point for Bayelsa.
“On behalf of your government, I thank you all for your efforts in ensuring that Bayelsa was always at the top in sports development. You have given us the reason the new stadium must be completed. We believe that we have an abundance of talents and skills in every area of sports and we need to bring up those talents by providing facilities.
“We have not misplaced priority in our thinking to start the FIFA-rated stadium project. We believe that you will continue to do more to bring more laurels to our state.”
He stated that apart from sports, Bayelsa was also at the threshold of making history in infrastructure development and in other sectors.
Diri said his administration would be remembered for the big ticket projects it embarked upon.
The governor noted that with the senatorial road projects such as the Nembe-Brass, Oporoma-Ukubie-Koluama, the expected Ekeremor-Agge and many other projects, when completed, would positively impact on socio-economic development of the state and beyond.
He also assured that with the procurement of gas turbines coupled with the partnership with the federal government’s Rural Electrification Agency (REA), there would soon be steady power supply in the state.
The Bayelsa helmsman implored his cabinet members to remain focused on delivering projects that would enhance the quality of life and not be distracted by those that do not mean well for the state.
“We have done very well. The projects we inherited, we have completed most of them. We also started our own projects. Today, we are sure of the Nembe-Brass road in the Eastern senatorial district. We started it and invited the Federal Government and it awarded phase two of the project while we are doing the first phase.
“The information available to me indicates that the Central senatorial road to Oporoma-Ukubie- Koluama, which has a bridge of over 600 metres at Angiama, will be completed this year.
“The Ekeremor-Agge road, which we inherited and tarred to Ekeremor, we are about to award the remaining part. We are also constructing several other massive road infrastructure in the state.
“In education, we just commissioned six secondary schools in Yenagoa. We began a paradigm shift to hands-on education by building science and technical colleges in every local government area.
“I believe that this government is on the threshold of making history, particularly with the new programmes and projects we have initiated.
“Power is also there as we are procuring our turbines for independent power in Bayelsa State. We just returned from Abuja after yesterday’s partnership event with the Rural Electrification Agency. All of these speak to the fact that we are doing very well.”
The governor also thanked Bayelsans for the warm reception accorded wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, when she visited the state.
He stated that the gesture demonstrated the hospitality of Bayelsans, which the President’s wife acknowledged.
