How Douye Diri Squandered Bayelsa Money On Fake MoUs.

One of the bastions of liberal democracy is the mandate principle which entrenches elections as a means of selecting people to represent them at any level of Government. 

How Douye Diri, Bayelsa State Governor, Squandered Bayelsa Money On Fake MoUs.

The mandate principle is anchored on trust in the belief that a representative shall at all times tell his constituents what they should know and not what they should believe. The central tendency of democracy in recent times is transparency and openness in official governmental transactions.p

It is against this background that even State Governors in Nigeria periodically give an account of their stewardship not because they want to be celebrated but because they are obligated to the people to tell them what they are doing with their mandate; their monies and other resources. Stewardship elicits trust and when the power holders are trusted by the electorate, then good governance and its accompanying dividends are easily and equitably distributed.

Capitalism, neoliberalism and globalization are now potent forces for nations and sub-national entities such as States to partner other institutions offshore for collaboration. This is the idea that underpins the signing of memoranda of understanding, MOUs in specific areas that would be mutually beneficial to both parties. MOUs have terms of agreement and timelines and if such MOUs involve offshore finding, they also have moratorium. Bayelsa State has not been lucky with MOUs. 

Since February, 2020, Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri has signed some MOUs designed to accelerate the pace of development in the State. On July 2, 2021 Gov. Douye Diri signed an MOU with International Aquaculture Company – the African Atlantic Golf of Guinea Fisheries Limited. The aim was to establish complete industrial fishing, seafood and fisheries production value chain in the State. The MOU according to the Bayelsa State helmsmen would train 250 youths and create 4,000 jobs.

 At the Executive Council Chambers of Bayelsa State Government House, the Governor reiterated that Bayelsa State will work in synergy and collaboration with the company. Present at the ceremony was Senator Ita Enag, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, who led the company to sign the MOU.Whereas Governor Duoye Diri has spent millions of dollar on the MOU, there is nothing on ground to show that the promises of training 2,500 youths will materialize. It is even absurd to imagine that the MOU for which billions of naira has been spent will see the light of the day. Thousands of trainable graduates roam the streets in Yanegoa with limping hope of never getting paid job. It could have been a dream come true if 4,000 Bayelsa youths had the opportunity of getting jobs. This could have reduced the poverty index in the State and minimize the dependency ratio.As usual, and like other facebook projects, 34 months after the MOU was signed, Gov. Diri has gone “criminally” silent about the MOU, the humongous State funds fritted into the investment and the prospects for upskilling 2,500 youths and the possibility of creating job opportunities for 4,000 Bayelsans. 

Tthe “fraudulent deal” is a demonstration of the fact that the Diri administration takes Bayelsans especially the youths for granted. When deceit and fraud are officially displayed at Creek Haven, the essence of governance has been reduced to a joke.Bayelsans are talking about a Governor who has received a derivation arrears of N100 billion with so much dead – weight loans – a Governor who sells State contracts to the PDP national leader just to secure a second tenure. This is the same administration that invested billions of the tax payers money to refurbish the State – owned Bayelsa Plastic Industries Limited but failed. 

The conclusion is that the so called prosperity administration deliberately scuttling opportunities for training and employing Bayelsa youths. It is a moral duty for the youths to take their pound of flesh from Senator Duoye Diri in the coming governorship in Nov. 11, 2023.

By: Third Eye.

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