July 30, (THEWILL) – The Bayelsa State government has described as consistent falsehood the information being circulated by members of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state on social media that rising poverty, inflation and youth unemployment are the hallmarks of Governor Duoye Diri’s administration.
State Director of New Media, Dr Kola Oredipe said on Sunday that the opposition party has taken to cheap blackmail, with the intention to smear the administration of Governor Diri.
He said, “The current administration is not averse to criticisms, but this should be done with facts and with every sense of responsibility.
“Instead of accepting the fact that the APC-controlled Federal Government had strangulated the nation’s economy, the state chapter of the party plays the ostrich, by trying to blame the rising poverty, inflation and youth unemployment on the state government that is alive to its responsibility in creating thousands of jobs.”
He said apart from employing hundreds of young people into the critical health sector of the civil service, numerous jobs have been created through the massive ongoing civil works, road constructions and other projects across the State.
“The Prosperity Government is deliberately building the local economy with the monthly grants to youths and women entrepreneurs, as well as through its several skills acquisition programmes,” he said, adding that,
“It is laughable that the opposition makes false accountability claims against the administration by alleging that it has abandoned the monthly transparency briefing, which was established by law. Only a few days ago, the government rendered up-to-date accounts of its income and expenditure during the transparency briefing for the months of April and May. This event was covered and reported by various media outlets, which were present at the briefing.
“Moreover, it is an opposition that sees nothing good in the state that will equally allege misuse of the derivation fund arrears paid to Bayelsa and other Niger Delta states. Every patriotic Bayelsan knows that the funds and other receipts have already been committed to the various ongoing projects in the state.
“Unfortunately, we are contending with a vicious opposition that lacks tact and decorum. We have so far kept our books open and have ensured prudence and integrity in our contractual dealings. We, therefore, challenge the opposition to provide evidence of its claim of over-inflated contract figures.
“On the alleged local government stolen funds, those spreading the lies may also need to provide documentary evidence of this malicious falsehood against the Governor. There are consequences for spreading fake news.
“It must be noted that this government has consistently supported local government administration, particularly in the provision of financial buffers, to augment the salaries of their workers and primary school teachers. Constitutionally, this is not the responsibility of the state government. But we have borne this extra burden because of our inclusive governance style and the need to prevent the total collapse of local government administration in the state.
“The APC equally alleged a fake N47 billion investment in agriculture by the state government. This is obviously a mirage that can only be found in the warped imagination of its authors. At no time has this government spent such a huge amount on agriculture only.
“The government is making conscious efforts to provide basic infrastructure including the strategic roads to support this endeavour.
“It is a known fact that a greater part of the first term of the current administration has been devoted to building new roads and opening up many riverine communities, which we believe is the foundation for real development and industrialisation of the State.
Oredipe said that the plastic industry was earlier handed over to a private company, but sadly, the PPP arrangement did not yield the expected results. The government is seeking new partnerships for the plastic industry and the oil palm estates. “The Public Private Partnership remains the only viable option for the government to make the enterprises derive income for the state.
“For the completed cassava processing plant, it will soon commence commercial starch production. This is a huge investment and the Prosperity Government is excited about this project, which was inherited from the immediate past administration.
“The Prosperity Government, under the able leadership of Senator Douye Diri and his very supportive Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, is serious-minded and focused on delivering greater and new opportunities to Bayelsans. It has so far recorded outstanding achievements in various sectors for continuity and consolidation in the second term.
“This government assures Bayelsans that we will remain single-minded in our developmental agenda for the state and will never disappoint them”, Oredipe concluded.
