Bayelsa APC Progressive Advocates Highlights Failures Of Governor Douye Diri-Led Prosperity Government

…Says His Administration Has Not Completed, Commissioned Any Project After Two Years In Office

The Coordinator of the Bayelsa APC Progressive Advocates, Chief Allen Douye, expresses displeasure “at the dearth of developmental projects and youth empowerment programmes by the ‘Prosperity Government’ led by Governor Douye Diri, the Governor of Bayelsa State.”

In a statement signed by Chief Allen Douye,
Coordinator, of the group, the body stated categorically that the present administration has failed to fulfill any of its campaign promises, stressing that the prosperity government is yet to commission any project after two years in office.

Douye stated it categorically that the lack of completion of projects being currently embarked upon by the prosperity government calls for serious concern most especially considering the huge loans obtained for the purpose, the internally generated revenues and the monthly federal allocations to the State since the administration came on board about two years ago.

Investigations indicate that all the projects embarked upon by the prosperity government are not new rather projects commenced by the previous administration of which most were at their completion stages, yet no single project has been commissioned.

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The group said that the very fact that these projects being embarked upon by the Prosperity Government are already existing, it should ordinarily suggest a drastic reduction in the cost of execution so it is naturally expected that by now, there ought to be an endless list of completed projects to be commissioned, having completed and commissioned many already.

According to the group, this anomaly raises some concerns.

“A few of the projects are; the Sagbama- Ekeremor road, the Elebele road, the Southern-Ijaw road, the Ait road, the Judges residential quarters etc.

“Continuity in governance is good and there is absolutely nothing wrong with completing projects especially those commenced by previous administrations but the statements by the state government alleging to have expended billions of naira on projects (originally commenced by the previous administration which from the records available were either completed or at the completion stages), is unfair and indicative of the fact that the prosperity government doesn’t mean well for Bayelsans.

“It is on record that the prosperity government has obtained loans amounting to billions of naira continuously, seemingly unconcerned about the implications, despite the regular inflow through monthly Federal Allocations and the internally generated revenues in the state yet no single project has been completed or commissioned under the Prosperity Government for the two years.The group urged the State Government to judiciously and creatively utilize the available funds and control the urge to continuously plunge the state into the pool of indebtedness through avoidable loans.”

Douye added that the poor performance of the prosperity government in two years, particularly in developmental projects, human capital development and provision of basic social amenities, clearly showcases lack of idea, vision and plan to improve the well-being of its citizens rather than worsening the situation.

“The massive demolition of structures in major markets and streets of Yenagoa, without alternate arrangements for the affected businesses, drastically affected the livelihood of so many Bayelsans, who solely depend on these businesses for sustenance.

“The massive demolition was carried out without making alternative provisions for the victims neither is it on record that any form of assistance was rendered to the victims to ameliorate their sufferings. Is this a government that truly intends to improve the welfare of its citizens? Diriboost was established with billions of naira under the guise of empowering youths to address the high rate of unemployment in the State. This initiative was a welcome development considering the need for such youths empowerment platforms but regrettably, the initiative didn’t only fail in achieving the desired outcome, it ended up becoming another act of deceit by a government that didn’t originally intend for anyone to benefit from the scheme.

“There are too many records of failure already however, Let it be on Record that as it concerns developmental projects in Bayelsa State, whatever projects are scheduled for commissioning by the state government, are not prosperity government initiated projects but projects embarked upon by previous administrations which were either completed or at completion stage. What the government has been doing and is good at doing is to continue to exaggerate the value of completing existing projects to smoke screen their lack of performance as well as make promises that won’t be fulfilled at any point, to deceive the people to continue to support the poor performed administration,” the group added.