Ahead Bayelsa guber: Gov. Diri visits state’s media complex

Isaac Ombe, Yenagoa
Ahead of the November 11 gubernatorial elections in Bayelsa State, Governor Douye Diri, has visited the multi-million Naira complex housing the three state-owned media outlets of Radio Bayelsa, Niger Delta Television and New Waves Newspaper, in Yenagoa, the state capital.
The governor used the occasion to explain the reasons for putting up the massive edifice named after a veteran Journalist, Enest Ekoli.
The governor also used the occasion to call on the Federal Government to take practical steps to check the impending flood in the state.
Governor Diri, who visited the complex in company of the Commissioner for Information, Ayibana Dubai, on Tuesday, explained that the important role the media plays in societal development spurred his administration to construct the edifice.

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The visit was to inspect some new equipment acquired and installed in the state-owned Television – Niger Delta Television – where he also directed that some ad-hoc staff undergoing training at the television station be given immediate employment in the state civil service.
Expressing satisfaction with the newly-installed digital broadcast equipment, which he said were the best in the industry, Governor Diri also had a live interview on NDTV during the tour.
He stated that as the Fourth Estate of the Realm, the media remained a very important component of the state and the society at large and that his administration will treat it with the seriousness it deserves.
Impeccable sources disclosed that apart from inspecting some new equipments for the television state , the governor was also there to ensure that the media outlets are in desired shape to properly disseminate the administration’s policies and programmes to the electorate ahead of the elections .
Also speaking on the on-going three senatorial road projects in the state, the governor described them as ‘very crucial’ to the state, saying they not only provide access of the rural communities to the state capital, but would also open up the state’s economic zones.

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While he observed that polticians were playing politics with these important projects, he also wondered why some opposition politicians do not seek expert opinion on areas they were not knowledgeable about, but rather make ignorant comments.
Re-echoeing the state government’s efforts at tackling the threatening flood in the state, in answer to a question , Governor Diri, assured that his government was doing everything within its powers to tackle the menace. He, however, called on the Federal Government to take practical steps such as building of dams to check the release of water from the dams outside the country.
“I saw the level of decay in the physical infrastructure, especially of the radio station arising from a storm.
“The television station was far away in Gbarantoru and knowing the importance of the media, I said something had to be done.
“When we inaugurated this structure (in February 2022), there were a lot of naysayers who said we were inaugurating an empty structure.
“But today I am happy I am live here on NDTV and I am seeing very modern equipment that are arguably comparable to the best in the industry.
“The three senatorial roads are important to us. Tthat is why we are investing so much in them.
“It is unfortunate that some people are playing politics with it by making comments on areas they do not have the requisite knowledge rather than seeking the opinion of experts.”
Governor Diri also visited Radio Bayelsa where he partook in a live programme.