Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has restated his administration’s commitment to open and accountable governance that guarantees citizens’ participation in key decision-making processes.
Diri stated this on Thursday at a Critical Stakeholders’ Public Interactive Session on the preparation of the 2027 annual budget, held at the Harold Dappa-Biriye Conference Hall, Onopa, Yenagoa.
Represented by his deputy, Dr. Peter Akpe, the governor said his administration would continue to strengthen systems that promote tracking and reporting of budget implementation to ensure proper utilisation of public funds.
He noted that his government had always partnered with civil society organisations, the media and the citizenry to promote transparency, accountability and good governance.
Diri explained that the interactive session was organised to enable people from all walks of life to contribute to the budget-making process using a bottom-up approach.
According to him, the Citizens’ Budget that will follow the session will be made public for every Bayelsan to see how public funds are utilised.
He said: “Let me set out what this administration hopes to hear from you today, so that the 2027 budget is a better instrument than the one before it. First, we want to know what has worked and what has not, in your community, in your sector, and in your daily experience.
“If a project in the current budget has not been felt on the ground, tell us. If a road has been completed but the drainage was forgotten, tell us.
“Secondly, we want your help in setting priorities. Our needs are many and our resources, though improving, remain finite. Between completion of ongoing projects and commencement of new ones; between physical infrastructure and human capital; between urban centres and riverine communities; we must choose, and we would rather choose with you than for you.
“Thirdly, we want to hear from those whose voices are too often absent when budgets are made: women, young people, persons living with disabilities, and communities that have carried the environmental cost of oil production for more than 60 years.
“This administration has committed itself to open and accountable governance, and we intend to keep faith with that commitment. The Citizens’ Budget that will follow this exercise will be published in plain language so that every Bayelsan can see where public money is going.”
In his presentation, Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Maxwell Ebibai, represented by the Technical Adviser on Treasury, Accounts and Revenues, Mr. Timipre Seipulo, put the performance of the 2025 budget at 86 per cent.
He said the state received N1.13 trillion as actual revenue, representing a 320 per cent increase from the N926 billion received the previous year.
He stated: “However, when we prepared the 2025 budget, what we budgeted for revenue was N1.294 trillion. So what it means is that we were able to achieve 86 per cent of our budgeted revenue for 2025.
“Recurrent expenditure for 2025 was N274.78 billion against N329 billion in the previous year, representing a 17 per cent reduction, while our budgeted recurrent expenditure for 2025 was N309 billion, which also means that we were able to achieve 89 per cent of our budgeted recurrent expenditure.
“While our capital expenditure for 2025 came to N838 billion against the previous year’s figure of N596 billion, representing 41 per cent increase or 85 per cent of our budgeted figure.”
Earlier, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Burutolu Samuel, explained that the interactive session was organised to enable government to interface with the people to identify priorities in terms of needs and collectively determine the development direction for the state in the next fiscal year.
He, therefore, encouraged citizens to participate actively in the budget-making process to enable government to come up with a people-centred budget whose implementation will lead to tangible improvements in the lives of the people.
During the question-and-answer session, Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Estate Surveyor Moses Teibowei, said the Governor Douye Diri-led administration had made significant progress in infrastructural development, especially in the construction of roads linking the hinterland.
He disclosed that the state government had given approval for rehabilitation of internal roads in Yenagoa, the state capital, particularly the old Okaka Road, adding that the current administration has a good working relationship with federal agencies, particularly the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
He said: “I can tell you that all the roads I have mentioned, including the PDP Road, have been visited. Just yesterday (Wednesday), the governor approved for the Central Procurement Board to award contracts for the rehabilitation of the old Okaka Road.
“So, I want our people to rest assured that His Excellency will still give approval for the other roads to be rehabilitated. But I strongly believe that at the end of this month, the Okaka Road will be properly fixed.”
Those who asked questions at the session included Dr. Mary John and Mrs. Leah Amara, representing women groups; Mr. Johnson Theophilus and Mr. Amuso Henry, CDC chairmen; Mr. Charles Peletiri, representing youths; and Chief Grant Ekisa, representing traditional rulers.
