From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has said the focus of his administration is to open up the state by linking rural communities by roads.
Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, on a Yenagoa-based radio station over the weekend, Governor Diri said Bayelsa was not in competition with any other state as all states had their peculiar needs and priorities.
According to the governor, one of the major challenges of the state is its riverine nature, which restricts access to rural communities by road as well as hinders agricultural produce from reaching markets in the state capital and other cities.
“This is why our administration is focused on constructing roads to rural communities where the bulk of the poor people live,” he said.
Governor Diri stated that his administration is currently expending its 13% derivation funds and other refunds by the Federal Government on the construction of the three senatorial road projects as well as other people-oriented projects.
He listed some of the ongoing big-ticket projects to include the 42km Sagbama-Ekeremor road, which costs N34.4 billion with seven bridges and five already completed by his administration.
He also said the 22.2km Yenagoa-Oporoma road will gulp N31.4 billion as well as the 21km Igbogene-Elebele road expected to gulp N54.56 billion.
“Our administration has also embarked on the first phase of the Nembe-Brass road with 10 bridges at a cost of N54 billion as well as the 10.2km dual carriageway Glory Drive road from the Ecumenical Centre at Igbogene to the Tombia-Amassoma road.”