Bayelsa Commissioner commends Sagbama, Eleremor LG Chairmen for Development strides

Bayelsa Commissioner commends Sagbama, Eleremor LG Chairmen for Development strides The Bayelsa Commissioner for Local Government Administration, Pastor Agatha Goma on Saturday, commended Sagbama and Ekeremor Council Chairmen for their development efforts despite current economic recession. Goma gave the commendation while fielding questions from newsmen during a project inspection tour of Sagbama and Ekeremor Local Government Areas of the state. She said the quality and quantity of projects embarked upon by the chairmen in the two councils, was the clearest and an indication that the state`s restoration agenda had taken root. In Sagbama, more than 19 projects were at advanced stages of completion. Goma especially commended the enterprising and innovating approach of Hon. Michael Magbrisa, the council’s Caretaker Committee Chairman. She said the strategy adopted by Magbrisa in the management of the lean resources at his disposal should be emulated. According to her, Magbisa has stirred the spirit of entrepreneurship in small and medium scale businesses, including the Salga Table water, Salga Bakery and Salga Fast food projects. This, she said, had created job opportunity for the teeming youths in the council. She expressed hope that a prudent management of small scale businesses and the cucumber farm established by the council, would boost its revenue base and enhance development. The Local Government Administration Commissioner further commended Magbisa for flying the restoration flag high and called on Sagbama people to continue to support him by protecting projects located in their community. While commissioning one of the several public toilet projects located within Ekeremor Local Government, Goma urged residents to desist from open defecation. This, she said, was necessary to avoid the inherent health hazards posed by unhygienic management of human waste. Goma stressed that sustained project execution at the grassroots would make life meaningful for the rural dwellers and turn rural communities to urban centres. She was accompanied on the project inspection tour by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Tonye Opuike, and the Director of Finance Mr Brown Singerbele and other management staff of the Ministry of Local Government Administration. Responding, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Ekeremor Local Government Area said the council was committed to completing more projects, adding that the next phase of project would focus on education and job creation. He commended the commissioner for her motherly role and her approach to local government administration. Other projects commissioned by the commissioner include; a 600 metre walkway in Toru-Ndoro, 1200 metre walkway in Ekeremor town, a Borehole at Ekeremor, 18 tricycles for communal transportation among others. The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) Chairman and Southern Ijaw Local Government Caretaker Committee Chairman, Hon Joshua Machiaval, were both part of the tour. Also on the tour was their counterpart in Brass Local Government Area, Hon Bello Bina. They commended the Sagbama chairman for staying true to the restoration agenda of the Bayelsa government and for demonstrating that with the right persons, local government could work and serve the people. Responding, the Sagbama Local Government Caretaker Committee Chairman thanked the State Governor, Hon Seriake Dickson for appointing him and for the confidence reposed in him. He pledged to do everything within his power to ensure that only cost effective and life changing projects were implemented under his watch. Some of the completed and ongoing projects inspected by the commissioner in Sagbama include; the refurbished Governor and Chairman Lodges in Sagbama, Sagbama Cucumber Farm, Salga Table Water and Salga Fast food. Others are Salga Bakery, on-going conference hall building, the rehabilitated and redesigned Tungbo Health Centre, the remodelled and rehabilitated 100 -Stall Market in Sagbama among other projects.