The Bayelsa government says it is undertaking what it termed ‘quick-win’ projects in 24 constituencies in addition to ongoing ‘big ticket’ projects to fast-track development across the coastal state.
Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the deputy governor of the state, announced this on Monday, at a meeting with key stakeholders in Brass constituencies 1, 2 and 3, in Government House, Yenagoa.
Ewhrudjakpo explained that the essence of the meeting with the three constituencies was to assess their areas of need to enable the government to address such challenges, according to a statement by Doubara Atasi, his senior special adviser on media.
He said while the government was handling the construction of key projects such as the three senatorial roads, it became imperative to also provide immediate interventions in projects that would impact directly on the people across the communities.
Ewhrudjakpo, who charged chairmen of community development committees (CDC) in the constituencies to work closely with other community leaders, charged them to take responsibility for ensuring peace and stability in their domains.
On the issue of the lack of teachers in schools in their communities, the deputy governor called on the CDC chairmen to work with other stakeholders to monitor the activities of public schools and submit a monthly report to His office and the Ministry of Education about teachers who fail to report at their duty posts.
He stressed that henceforth, teachers posted to community schools who abandon their duty posts would face disciplinary measures.
On the twin issues of ocean surge and erosion affecting most communities, Ewhrudjakpo said the problem was beyond the state government and would require the collaborative efforts of the Federal Government to address the situation.
He also directed that a delegation led by Pabara Igwele, the commissioner for health, visit the Ewoama community within the week to ascertain the status of the health facility there and come up with a report.
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Abraham Ingobere, the speaker of the state House of Assembly, lauded the state government’s decision to get first-hand information from the people about their challenges, saying it was the first of its kind.
Ingobere acknowledged that the present administration had worked hard, particularly in infrastructure development, but noted that communities needed a fair spread of government projects.
The speaker also identified the lack of security, internal roads, town halls, pipe-borne water, electricity supply and healthcare as major problems bedevilling the people.
Ayibaemi Spiff, chairman, Bayelsa State Science and Technology Board, traced the problem of lack of teachers, particularly science-based ones to the absence of accommodation and incentives.
Spiff, therefore, urged the state government to make concerted efforts to enhance teachers’ welfare.
In their separate remarks, the various stakeholders including the political class and CDC chairmen from the three constituencies, lamented absenteeism on the part of teachers and health workers in most of their communities.
They requested for provision of jetties, electricity, link roads, health and school infrastructure, police stations, lodges for teachers and youth corps members and shoreline protection at Odioma and other coastal communities in the area against ocean encroachment.
