Jubilation as Bayelsa Constructs Sagbama-Ekeremor Road

By Dickson promises to complete project in 2018

The people of Ekeremor Local Government Area in Bayelsa State were in jubilation mood at the weekend as Governor Seriake Dickson, for the first time in the history the state, drove on the Angalabiri-Aleibiri section of the ongoing Bayelsa West senatorial road from Sagbama to Ekeremor.

Accompanied by the Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (rtd), former Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Muhktar Shagari, and other top government functionaries, Dickson inspected the progress of work on the road project.

The governor, who made brief stop-over at Angalabiri, Ofoni and Ayamasa communities, said his administration has fulfilled the promise he made to the people during the governorship campaigns.

He said: “They don’t know what we go through to bring about development in this our difficult environment. I had to invite my good friend, Alhaji Muhktar Shagari, to accompany me so that he can see for himself how much this area is in need of development.

“Most importantly, they don’t know what we go through to bring about some semblance of development and so many more of our leaders will be invited to go round our state. Let them go into the creeks and see the conditions under which we live.”

Describing the project as strategic to the socio-economic development of the state, the governor said he was proud of his achievements, stressing that his administration has achieved 60 per cent completion of the road, which had been on the drawing board over the last four decades.

He said it was due to the long neglect of the federal road, which was being handled by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) that the state government took over the project to fast-track the development of the area.

Dickson who assured the people that the road would get to Ekeremor by the end of next year, expressed gratitude to the chiefs and people of the area for supporting his administration and voting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last elections, which have brought the dividends of democracy.

In Aleibiri community, Dickson paid a courtesy visit on the Alei of Aleibiri, Chief Simon Ebebi.

Speaking on behalf of the paramount ruler, Chief Suru Oyarede expressed appreciation to the Dickson-led administration for his people-oriented projects.

He particularly commended the state government for its commitment to the construction of the senatorial road, which he noted would link many communities in the hinterland.

The distance of the road from Sagbama to Ekeremor is over 100 kilometres.

The project, which was awarded to both Dantata-Sawoe and Setraco at a cost of N30 billion, is expected to be completed in December 2018.