High Expectations As Youths Task Lyon On Good Governance

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa.

Few weeks to the swearing-in of Bayelsa Governor-elect, chief David Lyon as substantive Governor, a cross-section of Youths of Epie-Atissa clans of Yenagoa local government area of the state have tasked him to continue impacting lives of Bayelsans.

In separate interviews yesterday our correspondent spoke with a cross section of Youth leadership of communities within Yenagoa,the state capital.

Youth presidents of Ovom, Mr. Awobi Deme, his Onopa, Okutukutu and Akenfa communities counterparts, Mr. Izibekiebo Wongs, Mr Stanley Tokunbo and comrade Nelly Mathew respectively has tasked the incoming administration to focus on impactful projects and programmes.

The Youth leaders alleged that the outgoing Government did very little in terms of infrastructure in Yenagoa metropolis, stressing that if Lyon prioritizes employment creation, security and urban renewal not only will the state be better-off, but that his developmental scorecard will receive a boost.

Epie and Atissa clans are the indeginous communities, forming Yenagoa, the capital city of Bayelsa state.

Speaking in Ovom community, their Youth president,Mr Awobi Deme noted that in the 8 years of the outgoing administration, save for the reclassification of their traditional stool to second class, the community which according to him hosts the official seat of government in the state was marginalized in the scheme of things.

“Well, apart from our traditional ruler that was upgraded to second class, our community didn’t benefit any other thing from the restoration Government. It was recently they came to start constructing one road here.No person from this community has ever been appointed into any office since the creation of this state. Even the civil service recruitment didn’t favour us,even upon pleading with the Government to consider us nobody from here was considered except those who got it on merit, but we are hosting the official seat of power in the state.” He said.

In Okutukutu, Youth president, Comrade Nelly Mathew described Lyon’s victory as divine, saying that upon his inauguration in the upcoming weeks he should translate the massive votes he garnered in the community into provision of soccour to them, especially in curbing the menace of the worsening perennial flooding just as he also pleaded with the incoming Government to construct a link bridge in the community to fast track development in the area.

While all may not seem well for Akenfa community, one of the few oil producing communities within the state capital, their Youth President, Mr Stanley Tokunbo has also called on the incoming administration to prevail on the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC to complete the construction of the abandoned bridge project by the commission in the community, emphasising that when it is completed it will serve as an alternate route to access the Gbarain and Ekpetiama clans of Yenagoa Local government area, restating his believe in the person of David Lyon.He maintained that Lyon would not betray the confidence the people of the community, Bayelsans resident in Yenagoa and other parts of the state reposed in the forthcoming administration.

You would recall that the Bayelsa state Governor-elect,David Lyon,his Deputy, Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo are billed to be sworn-in as Governor and Deputy, February 14th with so much expectations from Bayelsans.