Stakeholders Backs Diri’s Infrastructure Drive, Seek Protection of Public Assets

Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

Stakeholders at the Bayelsa infrastructure rebirth breakfast roundtable, organised by the South-South Reawakening Group (SSRG), have lauded the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, for his administration’s infrastructure development.

The group also called for sustained investment in critical projects and stronger measures to protect public assets from vandalism, according to a communiqué issued at the end of a roundtable held in Yenagoa on Monday and signed by the communiqué drafting committee.

The conference, themed: “Bayelsa’s Infrastructure Rebirth 2.0 Under the Assured Prosperity Government of Governor Douye Diri,” resolved that the state should continue to deepen quality infrastructure development across all sectors of the economy, describing infrastructure as a critical driver of economic growth, investment and improved living standards.

Participants also passed what they described as a resounding vote of confidence on the governor and his administration for initiating and funding ambitious infrastructure projects despite Bayelsa’s challenging riverine terrain.

According to the communiqué, many of the ongoing projects have disproved the long-held assumption that the state’s difficult geographical landscape makes major infrastructure development impossible.

The conference, however, expressed concern over the persistent vandalism of critical public infrastructure, particularly the recent attack that disrupted gas supply to the state’s gas turbine.

The stakeholders condemned the act and called on security agencies, host communities and relevant authorities to strengthen efforts to safeguard public infrastructure against sabotage.

According to the communiqué, protecting strategic public assets is essential to ensuring uninterrupted power generation, economic stability and sustainable development across the state.

A panel at the session moderated by the convener, Joseph Ambakederimo, also included, Prof. Francis Sikoki, Dean Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences and Member of the Governing Council of the Niger Delta University (NDU), Charles Eni-Umukoro and Founder/Publisher Top News as well as Public Affairs Analyst Daniel Abia, a veteran Journalist.

The roundtable also urged the government and other relevant stakeholders to institutionalise the ongoing infrastructure revolution by developing a sustainable framework that would guarantee continuity beyond the current administration.

Participants maintained that embedding infrastructure planning into the state’s long-term development strategy would preserve the gains already recorded and ensure that successive administrations build on existing achievements.

Earlier, the Secretary to the Bayelsa State Government, Prof. Nimibofa Ayawei, said the proposed coastal road to Brass Kingdom would transform Bayelsa into a major logistics hub for Nigeria’s offshore oil and gas industry.

According to him, the road would significantly reduce travel time to offshore oil fields, attract private investment, create thousands of jobs and stimulate businesses in logistics, hospitality, marine transportation and other support services.

Also speaking, the Convener of the South-South Reawakening Group (SSRG),  Ambakaderimo, stressed the importance of sustained engagement between government and citizens to improve public understanding of governance and infrastructure development.

He said continuous dialogue would strengthen transparency, accountability and public confidence while ensuring that citizens remain adequately informed about government policies and ongoing development projects.

The event attracted government officials, professionals, civil society organisations, media practitioners and other stakeholders, who reviewed the impact of infrastructure development on Bayelsa’s economic growth.