September 27, (THEWILL) – The Bayelsa state government says it has trained over five hundred (500) Bayelsans in Agriculture and Agric-extension in the last three years.
The government also said they didn’t just train them, but also empowered them to set up their own businesses and farms across the length and breadth of the state.
Speaking during an interaction with members of the Federated Correspondent’s Chapel of the “NUJ” under the “Correspondent’s Forum” organised by the chapel, Mr Daniel Alabra, the chief press secretary to governor Douye Diri, said even the governor has a farm.
Alabra said the state government have 38 hectares of land for rice farming at Otuasega in the Ogbia local government area of the state, while they have another 60 hectares at Amassoma in Southern Ijaw local government area and the smallest one at School to Land, Iminrigi road in Yenagoa.
“In 2021, we produced 1,000 bags of Bayelsa rice, but in 2022, the devastating flood destroyed the entire farm and we couldn’t produce anything. This year Bayelsa rice will flood the market. We have Rice Mills at Niger Delta University Amassoma and another one at Otuoke.
“Governor Douye Diri has his own farm, some of the commissioners have their farms, I have my own farm in my Community and even the Director General New Media, Kola Oredipe also has a farm.”
Talking about no access to water in the state, he said the governor has given a marching order to the commissioner for Water Resources to make sure water flows in all the houses in Yenagoa.
“Water is a general challenge not only in Bayelsa state but across the country, but for us as a state, we will surmount it. The Ministry of Water Resources has been able to identify the challenges and has addressed them. The governor has given a marching order that before the end of this first tenure, water should flow in all the houses in Yenagoa. But it will come with a cost”.
Speaking further, the government of Senator Douye Diri has been able to stabilize the security system in the state for the last three years to a large extent. Saying there can be no development without peace. “The Tombia/Etegwe roundabout that used to be a hideout for criminals both day and night and volatile has now become peaceful so that people can walk freely with their valuables intact.”
He also disclosed that the three Senatorial roads for Bayelsa East, Bayelsa Central and Bayelsa West, talking of the Nembe/Brass road, Yenagoa/Oporoma and Sagbama/Ekeremor roads are going to link the hinterlands, in order to explore the latent economic potentials of the blue economy.
