From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri has made a surprise visit to Nembe-Bassambiri in Nembe Local Government Area for the first since he assumed office.
Nembe was the scene of a vicious shooting incident on November 13, 2019 when Diri as governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and his supporters were attacked during campaign.
A report by the judicial panel of enquiry set up by the state government on the incident revealed that scores of persons were reportedly missing and several others sustained serious injuries as a result of the attack.
Diri in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, however expressed delight over the return of peace to Nembe.
The governor who was received by the Council of Chiefs and excited residents of the community thanked them for the warm reception despite the short notice of the visit.
Diri who noted that the ancient kingdom of Nembe should be the light and peace of Bayelsa urged the Nembe leaders and people to ensure that the prevailing peace and reconciliation was sustained While stressing that development can only thrive in an atmosphere of peace and security, he commended the leaders for the steps taken so far and implored them to do more as his administration would support efforts to deepen the peace in the area.
He said: “As chairman of the chiefs council noted, peace has returned to Nembe. Truly, love has returned, and for me there should not have been any other project more important than peace in Nembe.
“Nembe should be the light of Bayelsa. It should be the peace and love of Bayelsa. For us as a government, we are ready to work with the leaders of Nembe to ensure peace because it is only when there is peace that there can be development.”
Earlier, chairman of the Council of Chiefs, Chief Oriango Oruwari, thanked the governor for the visit and appreciated him for the role he played to ensure that peace returned to the community.
Chief Oruwari also expressed appreciation to the governor for appointing sons and daughters of Nembe into positions of trust and appealed to him to do more for Nembe.
Meanwhile there are strong indications that before the week runs out, Diri would sign into law the bill banning open grazing in Bayelsa State.
The chairman of the state House of Assembly Joint Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources, Trade, Industry and Investment as well as Environment and Security, Mr Tonye Isenah, who dropped the hint over the weekend during the public hearing on the bill titled: ‘Livestock Breeding and Marketing Regulation Bill, 2021’ organised by the committee at the Assembly Complex in Yenagoa on Monday.
“We want to assure Bayelsans that this week; the committee is trying to sit tomorrow (Tuesday), prepare our report and submit to the House on Wednesday. And that by Wednesday, it will be expeditious passed, then on Thursday or Friday, the governor should be able to sign the bill into law so that we can live as human beings,” he said.
