From Kenechukwu Obiajuru, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Government says it will continue to prioritize effective implementation of its budgets as part of efforts to promote good governance, especially in terms of infrastructural and human capacity development.
Governor Douye Diri, stated this while declaring open a critical stakeholders’ public interactive session for the preparation of the state 2026 Annual Budget at the Harold Dappa Biriye Conference Centre in Yenagoa, on Monday.
The Governor, who was represented by his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, said his administration did creditably well in implementing the 2024 budget, stressing that it had not carried over any budget right from its inception in 2020.
He highlighted some completed and ongoing people-oriented projects budgeted for in the 2024 Appropriation Law to include, the Sagbama-Ekeremor road, the new Commissioners and Lawmakers’ residential quarters, and Yenagoa-Oporoma Road with spurs to Otuan and Oporoma towns in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
Others include the roads within the New Yenagoa City, the 2nd Phase of Glory Drive, the Nembe-Brass Road, the Angiama-Enewari Road, and the Light-Up Bayelsa project for which the state had already taken delivery of a 60Mega Watt turbine to provide electricity by December this year.
Describing budget planning as key to the development of any state and corporate organization, the Bayelsa Chief Executive urged the participants to make useful inputs into the 2026 budget to engender good governance and prosperity in the state.
Governor Diri, who thanked the people for their support, reassured them that his administration is determined to leave Bayelsa better than it met it in terms of development.
His words: “A budget session like this is important for planning and development. The good thing about our state is that we do not carry over our budgets, and that is a big applause for the Governor and the economic team.
“The Prosperity Administration knows where it wants to take the people of the state to. Our Turbine which was appropriated for in the last budget is here and we want to thank the Governor.
“We want to leave Bayelsa better than we met it: that is the essence of leadership. So, I really want to encourage us to continue to pray for the Governor and the state in general. We may not be where we want to be but we have made progress.
“The essence of today’s gathering is to make input. So feel free to make your inputs which we believe will help us to make progress.
Earlier, Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Flint George, stated that the stakeholders interactive session would culminate into a citizens’ budget which will capture the aspirations of the people..
He remarked that some of the requests made last year were included in the 2025 budget which is doing well, stressing that the interactive session was an avenue to get feedback from the citizens and make governance all inclusive
Mr George expressed gratitude to Governor Diri and his deputy, Senator Ewhrudjakpo,for supporting the ministry to perform its functions effectively.
Delivering the 2024 financial performance report, Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Maxwell Ebibai, represented by the Technical Adviser to the Governor on Treasury and Accounts, Mr Timipre Seipulu, announced a surplus revenue of N165bn for the state as at 31st December ,2024.
He said though the state had N760bn as its approved budget of revenue for the year under review, it recorded an actual revenue of N925bn that enabled the state to meet a total actual expenditure of N760bn.
Mr Ebibai, added that funds appropriated for in the 2024 budget were judiciously utilized and properly accounted for during the monthly transparency briefing of the state government as required by law.
The report reads in part, “In the opinion of the Accountant General of the State, the financial statements were in agreement with the books of account and records, and show a true and fair view of the financial condition of the Government of Bayelsa State for the year ended December 31st, 2024.”
