The Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, appealed to residents of the state over the delay in completing the gas turbine power project.
The governor made the appeal on Wednesday while inspecting the project to assess the level of work completed.
Addressing Bayelsans, Diri urged them to exercise patience, explaining that technical hiccups had delayed the delivery of some outstanding equipment required to complete the project.
He said the initial December completion timeline was based on the information and agreements available to him at the time but acknowledged that technical projects often face unforeseen challenges.
“I am as disappointed as every other Bayelsan because I genuinely believed we would celebrate this Christmas with our own independent power supply, but that did not happen,” he said.
Diri explained that delays in bringing in critical equipment affected the project’s timeline and appealed to residents to remain patient, expressing optimism that the project would be completed by February during the sixth anniversary of his administration.
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He admitted concerns over the delay but noted that setbacks were common in complex engineering projects.
Diri stressed the need to accept realities on the ground while supporting the engineers working to ensure the project was completed properly.
The governor cautioned against politicising the project, describing it as a long-term investment that would outlive his administration.
“Engineering is not politics. This is a signature project for the people of Bayelsa State and one that I hold close to my heart because reliable electricity is essential for driving industrialisation in our state,” Diri said.
He was accompanied on the inspection by members of the State Executive Council and other senior government officials.
