…as PLWDs Honour Gov Diri For Disability Inclusion
Bayelsa State has scaled the World Bank’s assessment for a potable water supply project targeting Yenagoa, the state capital, and neighbouring communities.
Governor Douye Diri disclosed this on Wednesday while presiding over the 196th meeting of the Bayelsa State Executive Council at Government House, Yenagoa.
Diri described the development as “good news” for Bayelsans, explaining that the World Bank would work with relevant state government officials to undertake geo-mapping of Yenagoa and surrounding communities ahead of the deployment of water infrastructure.
According to the governor, the exercise would also involve sensitising residents on the proposed water supply project and its implementation.
“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.
“So 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 to Bayelsans.”
The governor said the development was part of his administration’s broader effort to provide critical infrastructure capable of supporting sustainable economic growth.
He noted that ongoing efforts to improve electricity supply, alongside the proposed expansion of access to potable water, would address two fundamental requirements for social and economic development.
Diri said his administration was also investing in roads, schools and healthcare infrastructure as part of efforts to create a more conducive environment for businesses and attract private-sector investment.
According to him, the provision of basic infrastructure would strengthen the state’s economic foundation and create opportunities for investors to establish and expand businesses in Bayelsa.
Diri Pushes Public-Private Partnership
The governor stressed that government alone could not drive sustainable industrialisation, advocating stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors.
He argued that the private sector remained the principal driver of economic activity and urged Bayelsans to identify and take advantage of emerging opportunities as the state improves its infrastructure base.
READ ALSO: Diri Woos Vietnamese Investors To Bayelsa
“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,” Diri said.
He further urged residents to develop a stronger appreciation of the economic opportunities available in the state, warning that investors from outside Bayelsa could identify and exploit such opportunities ahead of the state’s own people.
“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.”
The governor’s comments reinforce his administration’s emphasis on infrastructure as a prerequisite for attracting investment and diversifying Bayelsa’s economy beyond its traditional dependence on oil.
PLWDs Honour Diri
Meanwhile, the governor received an Award of Excellence for Disability Inclusion during the Executive Council meeting.
The award, presented by the Commissioner for Women, Child Empowerment and Social Development, Mrs Joanna Gigi, was on behalf of Persons Living With Disabilities (PLWDs) in recognition of what they described as the governor’s commitment to disability inclusion.
Gigi said the recognition was particularly linked to Diri’s assent to the Persons Living With Disabilities Law 2026, describing the legislation as a significant milestone in advancing the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities in the state.
The PLWDs also commended the administration’s interventions under the Assured Prosperity Agenda, including the appointment of 40 persons with disabilities into government positions and the employment of more than 20 physically challenged persons into the state civil service.
The recognition adds a social inclusion dimension to the administration’s infrastructure and development agenda, as the state moves to combine investment in basic services with policies aimed at expanding participation in public life and economic opportunities.
The World Bank’s next phase of assessment and geo-mapping is expected to provide the technical foundation for determining the scope and location of water infrastructure across Yenagoa and selected neighbouring communities.