The Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the Niger Delta Herald has accused the Governor Douye Diri administration of failing to deliver meaningful development despite huge revenues accruing to Bayelsa State.
The publisher, who spoke at a press conference titled “A Press Conference on the Failure of Governance in Bayelsa State” held at the Ernest Ikoli Press Centre, Ekeki, Yenagoa, on Wednesday, said the state does not belong to the governor or any political party.
He said Bayelsa belongs to the people and not to Governor Diri, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the All Progressives Congress, APC, or political godfathers.
“The governor is only the current occupant of Government House. He is a servant of the people. And when a servant fails, the master has the right to ask questions,” he said.
He faulted the administration’s prosperity agenda, questioning its impact on unemployed graduates, patients, students, rural communities, traders and fishermen.
According to him, despite substantial federal allocations, 13 per cent derivation and other interventions as an oil-producing state, there is little tangible development to show.
The publisher cited the death of Isaac Ombe in a motor accident at Toru-Orua in Sagbama Local Government Area, saying it should not be treated as a mere statistic.
He demanded answers on the state of roads, supervision of construction, certification, maintenance and the adequacy of emergency medical response.
He also demanded accountability on the proposed world-class cancer centre linked to the late mother of former Governor Seriake Dickson.
“Where is the cancer centre? Where is the facility? Where is the equipment? Where is the specialised cancer treatment? Where is the account of the money?” he queried.
He challenged the government to show the facility if it exists, explain if it has been abandoned and publish details of expenditure.
The publisher decried crises in tertiary institutions where staff unions have protested and academic activities disrupted, leaving students stranded.
He said healthcare is a necessity, not a luxury, lamenting that many Bayelsans still travel to other states or abroad for treatments that should be available locally.
He accused the government of being preoccupied with political calculations, defections, endorsements and 2027 permutations at the expense of governance.
He rejected the labelling of critics as enemies of the state or the Ijaw nation, saying: “The real enemy is bad governance. The real enemy is corruption. The real enemy is waste. The real enemy is impunity.”
He said Governor Diri must take responsibility for the failures of his administration, adding: “You cannot be governor when government succeeds and become an innocent observer when government fails. The buck stops at your desk.”
The publisher said he has no personal quarrel with the governor and is not seeking appointment, contract or financial favour, but only good governance, accountability and transparency.
He assured that the Niger Delta Herald would continue to report, investigate and ask questions without becoming a government bulletin.
He urged Bayelsans not to be afraid to demand accountability, stressing that Bayelsa is bigger than any individual or political party and that history would judge every administration by how it used the opportunity given to it.
