Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has announced that the state has cleared a major hurdle in securing World Bank support for a water infrastructure project covering Yenagoa and its surrounding communities, describing the development as good news for residents.
Speaking during a recent engagement, Diri said Bayelsa was among the states that had qualified for the World Bank’s water initiative, paving the way for collaboration between state officials and bank representatives.
“We have been on this water thing with the World Bank, and Bayelsa is one of the states that has passed the hurdle of the bank,” the governor said. “The World Bank will, alongside our state government officials, go round the whole of Yenagoa and some neighbouring places. They will deploy geo-mapping and also sensitise the people on this water supply project.”
The governor said the initiative would begin with geo-mapping of the affected areas, alongside public sensitisation efforts, ahead of full deployment of the water infrastructure.
Foundation for Private Investment
Diri also used the occasion to outline his administration’s broader development strategy, saying investments in water, electricity, roads, schools and health facilities were designed to lay the groundwork for private sector-led growth.
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He argued that government was not always well-suited to run businesses directly, and called instead for stronger public-private partnerships to drive industrialisation in the state.
“Investments do not hang in the air. We have seen how some other past governors made certain investments, but those investments are now a shadow of themselves. I believe every economy is mostly private sector driven,” he said.
The governor urged Bayelsans to seize the opportunities created by his administration’s infrastructure push, warning that outsiders were often quicker than locals to recognise economic potential within the state.
“Sometimes we may not even see the opportunities as Bayelsans. It is outsiders that see them before our people. So let us open our eyes to the opportunities for economic growth,” he added.
Governor Honoured for Disability Inclusion
During the same event, Diri received an award of excellence for disability inclusion, presented by the Commissioner for Women, Child Empowerment and Social Development, Mrs Joanna Gigi.
The commissioner said the honour, conferred by Persons Living With Disabilities (PLWDs), recognised the governor’s commitment to inclusive governance, particularly his assent to the Persons Living with Disabilities Law 2026, which she described as a significant milestone for the state.
