Gov. Diri has tuned Bayelsa to family company, given key appointments to kinsmen – group

A group under the aegis of ‘Coalition For Good Governance and Accountability’ has accused the Bayelsa state governor, Sen. Douye Diri, of appointing his kinsmen in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area to juicy positions to the exclusion of other LGAs in the State.

The Public Relations Officer of the group, Comrade Jerry Akpobolokemi, lambasted the governor for running the affairs of the State like his personal estate family cocoa farm, underminding the principles of equity and even sharing of political appointments.

Lamenting that the Prosperity administration has brought more poverty and regret to the people of Bayelsa State due to government’s ineptitude, lack of accountability and squandering of public funds, the group listed several key appointments given to poeple of his family and LGA contrary to the principles of equity and even sharing of political appointments.

“Among the appointees from governor Diri’s Local Government include the Deputy Chief of Staff Government House, Irorodaumie Komonibo, Executive Assistant who is acting as his Secretary, Josephine Ketebu, Government House Accountant, Mr. Rowland Akpolo and the Director of Finance and Accounts.

“Whereas the retention of Prof. Ebitimitula Etebu, Vice Chancellor Bayelsa Medical University may not be queried, the removal of Ambassador Dr. Boladei Igali as Pro-Chancellor and his replacement with the governor’s kinsman, Prof. Tarila Tebepah, Pro-Chancellor, Bayelsa Medical University. Now, Prof. Tarila Tebepah’s children have occupied all the top positions in the University.

“Governor Diri has retained his Man, the State Commissioner for Works, Moses Teibowei, whose office has been described as a cesspool of corruption. Most of the kickbacks from big construction companies are funneled through that ignoble office. In order to cover up governments corrupt activities, Governor Diri removed the former Permanent Secretary and appointed his Kolga brother as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works. The office has surreptitiously awarded multi -billion contracts to people from Kolga under the guise of empowerment. Indeed what happens in the Ministry of Works is primitive accumulation.

“However, one will not fault his choice of Chief Detail, who is also his kinsman. For his security, he has the prerogative to appoint his details.

“Governor Diri, the generalissimo is everything and everywhere. At the Internal Revenue Board, he has placed One Daniel Eniekezimene who is Gov Diri’s Inlaw, He is from Oboro, Delta State. Another of his relation, one Doubara Kumokou, popularly called “Youth Governor” collects all the revenue on behalf of the state government. If for instance he collects 2 Billion Naira for the month of August, he can decide to remit 100million. The remaining 1.9Billion goes into his pocket to build hotels and marry plenty wives, like his boss., This man has milked the State to the time of N150 billion since Governor Diri came to power.

“Governor Diri is so mean that he appointed the Chairman, Bayelsa United FC, Ebiki Timitimi, from Kolga even when more qualified people were around. Barr. John Sambo who’s battling with high blood pressure is Diri’s Director of Domestic. Let me not talk much about him because he’s a much younger person. This man boasted that he will never be poor. He has enriched himself, and arguably he is one of the wealthiest young lawyers in Bayelsa State.

“Other juicy appointments are
* Retd. Gen. Eric Angaye who is in charge of the Bayelsa State security & Safety corps is from Kolga. He has built a hotel in Abuja worth Billions of Naira.
* The Accountant General of Bayelsa State.
* Managing Director Bayelsa Housing Authority, Rt. Hon. Tonye Emmanuel Isenah.
*The Registrar of Niger Delta University, Benjamin Joffa, Mr. Justice Joffa – Speech Writer to Gov. Diri. The Joffa’s are brothers to Diri’s Second wife.

“Governor Diri has also hijacked and personalized all the main contracts to his family members. Diri’s first wife is in charge of Environmental Sanitation. She is the contractor handling the cleaning of Yenagoa metropolis. Her younger sister is in-charge of the DSP Alamieyeseigha Memorial Banquet Hall. Diri’s wife also sell Palm bunches obtained from the State-owned Bayelsa Palm Estate at Elebele. The Palm Estate was a major revenue source to the government of Bayelsa State. It is obvious that Bayelsa State has been sold out to the Diri’s family.

“Even the Registrar of the Bayelsa Medical University, Dr. Berezi is from Kolga. Same applied to the Chairman Bayelsa Civil Service Commission, Perekiye Buruboyefi. He is in charge of all the secret employments going on in the State. The Permanent Secretary Bayelsa State Environmental Sanitation Board, who is from kolga also employs their kinsmen without regard to due process. THESE Sharp practices are the reasons for the bloated wage bill of the State.

“The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Seiyefa Brisibe, is a qualified person but the idea that Diri has inundated his Cabinet with his kinsmen leaves much to be desired. Again the Managing Director, Bayelsa Electricity Board, Olis Kemenanabo, is from Kolga. It was he who awarded the failed gas turbine project to the owner of Jumboigeois Global Service, another brother of governor Douye Diri,” the group recounted.

Meanwhile, the Director General, New Media, to the Bayelsa state Governor, Mr. Samuel Kolawole Oredipe, has said the claim that the governor has appointed people from his Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA to take over the state is ridiculous.

In a statement on Sunday, the Director general New Media said every Bayelsan deserves fair treatment and that the government of Sen. Douye Diri is doing just that.

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