Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa
14 November 2008
(Page 2 of 2)
They are going to build a solid waste protector factory in Bayelsa. If I did not go another state would have taken it. So many things that are taken advantage of. But in the past few years, we never took advantage of UBE funding and N2billion was outstanding to the state.
For the first time we are trying to take advantage of that in two years because past governments tend to look within than outside. So, it always gives value for us to go there. Real Madrid wanted to build a place in Bayelsa and you must have heard that it was Bayelsa they choose.
Why? Because we are making contacts, if you are not making contacts, other states would have taken it. The Law School that is proposed for Bayelsa, other states are struggling to get it. If you don't go outside, it is actually you losing. It is your loss if you don't go out and struggle.
And if you press men go to your states of origin, ask your governors how many times they visit Abuja. It must be so because of the way the country is structured. We must make contract.
What about trips abroad?
If you are talking of traveling abroad, it is also the same thing and you have to do it. I have never really travelled abroad that much. I go abroad for very necessary things. The last time I went for a medical intervention treatment.
I had a dental issue which I needed to sort out. I was there earlier, it was checked and something was placed at the spot that after a month I should come back. I later found out that the thing they put had broken off.
And I see that if I stay here, maybe it could bring some complications and I branched off in London for a lecture to attract attention to the state because of the trips I made, the World Bank is here in Bayelsa today, they sent representatives and the American Ambassador was here for lots of projects in the region.
Like the last trip, I had an invitation from our Ambassador in Sweden (a Bayelsan, Daniel Igali) and was able to get positions for 20 students in the Swedish version of Imperial College . And also gave 10 positions in the world.
Maritime position's every year, in the world maritime university. They also gave me twenty positions in Malabo University and you don't pay tuition but accommodation. And I also met with Sony Ericsson and agreed with them that anyone trained by us would be absorbed by their company. Are all these not working for Bayelsa aside from repositioning the state?
And you would know where the state was coming from when the stories were about corruption and we need to achieve. Now, if they talk about Bayelsa, they don't really discuss it as a militant state but a peaceful one.
And the fact that I can travel and come back without trouble, it means our peace is sustainable. It means I can travel and constant inflow should be applauded. You the media should also give me credit, not always looking for the negative things people say because the people will react and I don't blame them.
Maybe you must have noticed the worrisome increase of garbage in the state capital. We have seen cases in the past where governments in some states were nearly sacked by garbage. What is your administration doing to address this ugly development?
I agree that the garbage situation in the state is assuming a new dimension. You know there were moments of transition in government. You know it was not so before. You must agree that there was a time, it was at least well.
I am one of the people upset with the garbage collection. I had a meeting with commissioner for environment and chairman of state sanitation authority, because there was slash in their overhead, they said they have some challenge and we are trying to solve it.
I assure you that in a short while Bayelsa would qualify as a clean state. We were actually one of the cleanest states but unfortunately sometimes in a week when garbage is not collected and now because of the challenge at the dump sites, which is water logged and our environment is difficult, it becomes hard to evacuate.
Now the solid waste plant the federal government wants to build, the place we gave them was said to be water logged. But I said anywhere we give you in Bayelsa will be water logged. They don't believe it in Abuja but when they came here, they can not cope. It is a challenge to us and we are working on it, I am not a dirty person. So Bayelsa would not be dirty.
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