The Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, announced on Monday that he has commenced his annual leave. The disclosure was made in a statement personally signed by the governor.
In the statement, Diri confirmed that his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, would oversee the functions of the governor’s office during his absence.
“Effective today, November 25, 2024, I am proceeding on my annual leave. It has been a very demanding year since our second-term inauguration in February.
“My absence will not disrupt governance in the state. The Deputy Governor, His Excellency Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, is fully empowered to manage all state responsibilities. Ongoing projects and programs by various ministries, agencies, and departments will continue without delay,” the governor assured.
Addressing the issue of the prolonged blackout in the state, Diri highlighted progress made in resolving the crisis.
“Regarding the prolonged blackout, I am pleased to note that our intervention in repairing the vandalized towers has yielded results. The restringing of the damaged Ahoada-Yenagoa 132kV transmission line has been completed.
“Although the transmission line is not owned by the Bayelsa State Government, our efforts are driven by the need to alleviate the suffering of our people. I understand the pain and economic losses endured, particularly by business owners.
“With the comprehensive repairs done so far, I am hopeful that power will soon be restored once the vandalized conductor between towers 29 and 31 is replaced. Security measures have also been put in place in Ula Ikata and Ihuike communities in Ahoada-East LGA of Rivers State to protect the site during ongoing repairs,” he explained.
Governor Diri also revealed plans to develop the state’s independent power infrastructure.
“While we work to restore public power, our government has initiated the procurement and installation of new gas turbines to establish an Independent Power Plant. This is part of our commitment to ensuring a steady electricity supply in alignment with our ASSURED Prosperity Agenda,” he added.
