The Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has appealed to the residents of the state, the motoring public, and commuters to be patient, support, and cooperate with the present administration as they take steps to address some of the sector’s problems with efficiency and effectiveness.
He made the appeal when he paid an unscheduled visit to the Bayelsa Ultramodern Transport Terminal at Igbogene, Yenagoa.
“The recent policy mandating transporters and commuters to use only government-approved motor parks was made in the best interest of the state. The shutting down of illegal parks and their subsequent relocation to the state-of-the-art transport terminal at Igbogene for intercity transport has brought decency and serenity to the hitherto chaotic Tombia Junction and other areas in the state capital,” he explained.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo noted that, while the government intends to build more parks to make transportation easier, he urged the Ekeki Motor Park to continue to cater to the needs of those traveling within the state.
He thanked the immediate past Governor and the present Senator representing Bayelsa West, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, for conceiving the project and bringing it to near completion before leaving office.
He also commended Governor Douye Diri for completing the project and putting it to use, describing the recent relocation order as part of the state government’s efforts to implement its urban renewal policy.
The Deputy Governor, who sympathized with the people for the inconveniences caused by the new policy, assured that the government was doing everything possible to address all reasonable challenges associated with the use of the new transport terminal in the state.
“You know there is no state that has this kind of facility in our country for now. This is an airport terminal for some states and even for some countries. It was a well-thought-out plan by the immediate past Governor, Senator Seriake Dickson. We appreciate him for coming up with this project, which we inherited as part of the assets, though there was some liability of completion. We also appreciate His Excellency, Governor Douye Diri, for not only completing the project but also putting it to use by ordering the movement of all transporters involved in intercity transport to this place because that is the standard in every international city,” he said.
According to him, “What we have come here to do is to evaluate the implementation of no side parks in Bayelsa State. And as you know, for now, we have two parks in Yenagoa: the Ekeki Park and this park. Therefore, those who ought not to come here to load, for example, what is the business of somebody going to Ogbia or Nembe coming as far as Igbogene to take off? What will somebody going to Amassoma or anywhere in Southern Ijaw come to do here instead of Ekeki Park? So, it is better they are somewhere there, so that it is only those who are actually going out of the state that will come here. That is part of the thinking we are doing, and in any case, we have a few issues as to the inadequacy of the space and the issue of the utilization of the spaces available.”
He encouraged Bayelsans and commuters to be patient, since the government is trying to moderate the issue of trekking to the junction before boarding vehicles to the city center. Those issues are being managed.
The Deputy Governor was accompanied on the inspection by the Commissioner for Transport, Hon. Preye Broderick; the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mrs. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai; their Bayelsa Central Special Duties counterpart, Mr. Mandy Sylvanus Akpalo; the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Dr. Johnson Dagana, among others.
