ALLEN HARRY
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, has explained that his appraisal of the two years of the Governor Douye Diri administration was an honest, genuine and intellectual analysis of governance in Bayelsa State.
Sylva, had on recent live radio programme, monitored by our Correspondent in Yenagoa, lambasted Diri for failing to bring his much talked about prosperity to the people in the last two years.
His comment generated a lot of criticism with some people accusing him of being economical with the truth about the current state of development in Bayelsa.
But the former governor in a statement issued by Mr. Julius Bokoru, his Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs, said his comments on the state radio interview was straightforward and the highpoints was based on high and low points of the present administration in the state.
Sylva, noted that despite the fact that he harped on some of the brighter sides of the current administration in the state, his comment on the administration was far from caustic and combative but honest, intellectual analysis of Bayelsa State and genuine appraisal of his home state.
According to the statement, “The Minister’s chief concern was that this administration has not fully weaned itself off the previous one which was a complete circus, though Governor Diri is significantly more human compared to his predecessor.
“As a Bayelsan, a former governor, a major stakeholder of the state, Chief Sylva has the right, like everyone else, to comment, analyse and proffer solutions to aspects of governance in the state that can be improved upon”.
“That interview was an act of patriotism and critical appraisal hence the avalanche of applauds from all parts of the state and beyond. The development of Bayelsa state is a continuum, it doesn’t begin and end with one individual, any single government or a group of people.
“It is a journey that will require every single Bayelsan, every day of his/her life to work towards that very divine project. Serving Nigeria through the Federal Government is not a license to ignore one’s home state.
“Chief Sylva will keep on working for the development of Bayelsa state in any capacity he finds himself, as Minister, through the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, inspired and partnered with Rungas Prime Industries Limited to establish a 1,000,000 per annum Type 3 LPG composite Cylinder Manufacturing plant in Polaku, Bayelsa State.
“Chief Sylva also Sighted an infectious Disease Hospital in the state through the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and one of its agencies, the NNPC.
“There was the Signing of the Final Investment Decision (FID) on gas processing and methanol plant project by Brass Fertilizer and Petro-Chemical Company which will create 30,000 jobs.
“Commencement of the Oil and Gas Museum at Oloibiri, Ogbia LGA and commissioning, along with President Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigerian Content Tower which vastly improved the aesthetics of Yenagoa and also created jobs. So, national service does not collide with service for one’s home state. There will be more of such interviews and more acts of patriotism and critical appraisal from Chief Sylva.
“Chief Sylva also congratulates Governor Diri on his two-year anniversary as governor, and notes that while the former Senator seems to have the will to want to perform well, the momentum still has to be increased until the next polls where Bayelsans will seek alternatives”, the statement said.