Bayelsans are not Lazy, they are innovative & Resourceful  - Osinbajo speaks, commends Udengs Eradiri

Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has commended Bayelsans as a hardworking, innovative, resourceful and friendly people, as he also promises to grant the request of Engr. Udengs Eradiri in his several initiatives for host communities including working with illegal refiners in oil bearing communities to participate in modular refineries, the road to Brass, the Airport and others.

He made this statement after his visit to Bayelsa as the then Acting President, where he went as an emissary to President Muhammadu Buhari, in a series of interactive Engagements with Oil Producing communities in the region, following the meeting between Buhari and the leadership of The PAN DELTA FORUM in November 2016.

Hear him:

" The biggest benefit we can obtain is to attract more investment to the region. I listened to my brother Udengs, President of the Ijaw Youth Council, who is one of the most articulate advocates of the Niger Delta cause that I have yet heard. I also listened carefully to the Agricultural economist, Zigha Ayibakuro.

A key point they make of the several important points, is that the young men of Bayelsa are entrepreneurs, driven and dynamic and this is critical. Societies are built on the resourcefulness, innovativeness and drive of the people".

The then Acting President while still speaking, appreciated the Executive Governor of Bayelsa state, His Excellency Rt. Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson and the good people of the state, while expressing his gratitude to be hosted in the Jerusalem of the Ijaw nation and to interact with the people.

According to him, Bayelsa has rich ancestral heritage notably marked, since the precolonial era, he said the Ijaws has a determined quest for fairness and justice.

Speaking further, the then Acting President, extolled Bayelsa as the beginning of Nigeria's wealth, owing to the fact that precisely at Oloibiri, 15 January 1956, the history of oil exploration in Nigeria began.

In his words: " It is here that this great source of the wealth of our Nation was discovered. And this oil became the source of 70% of our National earnings and 90% of our foreign exchange earnings"

The then acting President also lamented that despite the contributions of Oloibiri to Nigeria's Economy,  the people are yet to reward from their resources.

" Over 50% of non-oil revenues is determined by oil revenues. But for the people of historic Oloibiri and the many oil-producing communities in this State and the Delta region of Nigeria, the blessing of oil paradoxically became a curse or at best a burden.

Their means of livelihood, fishing and farming has consistently been destroyed by pollution. Worse still huge resources earned over the years have simply disappeared.

The roads, schools, hospitals and social amenities that the oil wealth should have provided are either not there or are patently inadequate. The majority of people of these communities and several parts of the oil producing states have heard of the wealth that oil has brought but have hardly benefited from it", he added.

The then acting President also assured that the Federal Government will partner with the oil producing states, local governments, oil companies, private sector, and civil society organizations for the rapid development of these communities.

He lastly pleaded with youths of the region to be peaceful and law abiding as federal government works hard to see oil producing communities becomes hubs for petro-chemical industries, small and large.

Prof. Yemi Osinbajo who was the then Acting President made the speech on Feb.11 2017.