The Bayelsa State Executive Council has approved the purchase of 60-megawatt gas turbines to improve electricity supply in the state. The approval was granted during the council’s 151st meeting at Government House, Yenagoa, on Wednesday.
Addressing the press after the meeting, Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Mrs. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, and the Commissioner for Power, Engr. Kharin Komuko, stated that the project aims to ensure constant power supply and prevent a recurrence of the prolonged outage recently caused by vandalism.
According to Engr. Komuko, arrangements for the purchase were already over 70% concluded, with installation expected to be completed before the end of the year. He described the frequent attacks on power infrastructure as acts of sabotage, adding that the gas turbines, with a combined capacity of 60 megawatts, would serve Yenagoa and its environs.
Mrs. Koku-Obiyai emphasized the economic benefits of the project, stating that uninterrupted power supply would attract more investors to the state. She further disclosed that the cabinet approved the deployment of state-owned luxury buses to convey commuters to the new transport terminal at Igbogene at a subsidized fare, to cushion the impact of rising transportation costs.
Similarly, Commissioner for Transport, Preye Brodrick, announced that the council approved the construction of bus stops at designated locations as part of the administration’s urban renewal efforts. He noted that the relocation of private transporters to the new terminal had significantly improved orderliness in Yenagoa and urged commuters to support the initiative despite initial challenges.
Meanwhile, Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has reaffirmed the state’s vulnerability to climate change, describing Bayelsa as the most climate-impacted state in Nigeria. The governor made the assertion when he received a delegation from the National Climate Change Secretariat, led by its Director General, Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe, at Government House, Yenagoa.
Governor Diri highlighted the severe impact of climate change on the state, including flooding, coastal erosion, and environmental degradation due to oil exploration. He urged the delegation to extend their study of Bayelsa’s mangrove ecosystem beyond Nembe to Brass, Southern Ijaw, and Ekeremor local government areas to gain a broader understanding of the state’s environmental challenges.
The governor pledged to collaborate with the Climate Change Secretariat on mitigation efforts and assured that his administration would review the Climate Change Act before domesticating it to suit the peculiarities of Bayelsa. He also appealed for fairness in allocating climate-related support, stressing that Bayelsa must receive its fair share of intervention funds and programs.
Dr. Maduekwe stated that her team was in Bayelsa to assess its mangrove forests, which form part of the largest mangrove ecosystem in Africa. She called on the state to adopt the climate change law and assured that the agency was ready to partner with the government to address climate-related issues.
In another development, Governor Diri has welcomed the new General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major-General Emmanuel Emekah, urging him to uphold professionalism and neutrality in security matters. Speaking at Government House, Yenagoa, on Wednesday, the governor commended the outgoing GOC for ensuring a peaceful governorship election in November 2023 and expressed confidence that his successor would maintain the same standard.
Diri assured Major-General Emekah of his administration’s support in tackling security challenges in the region. In response, the new GOC stated that his visit was to formally introduce himself as the commander overseeing military operations in Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, and Akwa Ibom states. He thanked the governor for his continued support of the Nigerian Army and promised to work closely with state security officials to ensure peace and stability.
