Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, has offered reasons for embarking on the Nembe-Brass road, noting that its construction by his administration was beyond any political consideration, but about the economic benefits to the state and the country.
He also said the decision to embark on the project, which is a federal road in the Bayelsa East senatorial district, was borne out of his strong desire to create access to the Atlantic Ocean in order to harness its abundant natural resources.
He stated this when he led the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship campaign team on a visit to the palace of the Okpo XXI of Okpoama Kingdom, King Ebitimi Banigo, at Okpoama in Brass Local Government Area ahead of the November 11 governorship election. He harped on the need to diversify the state’s economy away from crude oil and gas as they were fading assets.
He noted that from his days as pioneer national organizing secretary of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), he had noticed the level of poverty and under-development in Ijaw land, and vowed to change the narrative if God gave him the opportunity to serve the people.
“When l became governor, l wrote to the Federal Government and the Nigeria Agip Oil Company on the need to collaborate with the state government to construct the three critical senatorial roads. These are not projects that only the Bayelsa Government can handle because the cost runs into hundreds of billions of Naira.
“But, when l saw that nothing was coming forth, and knowing that my tenure was time-bound, l became very ambitious and had to take the bull by the horns to undertake these projects, which also include the Yenagoa-Oporoma-Ukubie and the Sagbama-Ekeremor-Agge Roads.
“The Nembe-Brass Road is not a political project. It is the major project that l has brought to the people of Okpoama and the Bayelsa East Senatorial District.”
Diri, who expressed his administration’s commitment not to abandon any project, assured that even if he had to borrow to complete the three big-ticket senatorial roads, he would do so.
“l am here to ask you for a second term. I do not want to leave projects abandoned. This is about the destiny and development of our people. You have a governor that is already doing what you want. As l speak, work is ongoing on the Nembe-Brass Road,” he said.
Chairman of the Okpoama council of chiefs, Chief Paul Omubo Suobagha, who represented King Ebitimi Banigo, underscored the importance of the Nembe-Brass Road, saying that they look forward to driving to their hometown.