Bayelsa State- (slogan: the glory of all lands)
Location of Bayelsa State in Nigeria.
Country: Nigeria.
Created: 1stOctober 1996.
Capital: Yenagoa.
Government.
Governor: Henry Dickson (PDP)
Area:
Total: 21,110km 2(8,150 sq mi).
Area Ranked: 27th.
Population: (2005 estimate)
Total: 1,998,349.
Density: 95/km2 (250/sq mi)
Ranked 35th.
ISO 3166 code (NG-BY)
(2007 estimates).
Total: $4.34 billion.
Per capital: $2,484
Brief:
Bayelsa state is a state in southern Nigeria in the core Niger Delta region, between Delta state and Rivers state as well. Its capital is Yenagoa.
The four main languages spoken by the people are Izon, Nembe, Epie-Atissan and Ogbia. Like the rest of Nigeria, English is the official language. The state was formed in 1996 from part of rivers and is thus one of the newest states of the Nigeria federation.
THE ECONOMY OF THE STATE.
Bayelsa state has one of the largest crude oil and natural gas deposits in Nigeria. As a result; petroleum production is extensive in the state. However, the majority of Bayelsans live in poverty. They are mainly rural dwellers due to its peculiar terrain and lack of adequate transportation, health, education or other infrastructure as a result of decades by the central governments, state governments and petroleum prospecting companies (past).this has been a large problem in the state since its creation and successive governments have not been able to address and repair the issue due to their self desire for wealth. The state as a result, has an almost non-existent commerce.
Successive state governments have, however embarked on various industrial projects(even venturing into the oil and gas sector),and ‘’poverty-alleviation’’ programs to reverse this situation but they ends up squandering the revenue allocated for these projects into themselves, however citizens (non politicians) argue that there is absolutely nothing to show for the huge sum of money spent for the development by the so-called successive and present state government, but (politicians) don’t see it that way.
The local populations engage in fishing on a subsistence and commercial level. Bayelsa state government is otherwise the main employer of labor in the state.
GEOGRAPHY OF THE STATE:
Bayelsa has a river rein and estuarine settings. A lot of her communities are almost (and in some cases) not completely surrounded by water but the government finds it difficult to build good roads linking to those villages and as a result they travel by means of water. The state is the home to the Edumanom forest Reserve, in June 2008 the last known sites for Chimpanzees in the Niger Delta.
Other important cities besides Yenagoa includes;Akassa,Amassoma(the home of the Niger Delta University),Twon-Brass,Kaiama,Nembe,Odi(destroy under president Obasanjo rule),Ogbia,Okpoama-Brass,Oporama,Otuan,sagbama and Olugbobiri.
NOTABLE NATIVES
Notable sons of Bayelsa state includes Veterans, Novelist and poet Gabriel Okara; pioneering Nigeria journalist and pre independent freedom fighter Ernest Ikoli; Nigeria civil war hero Major Isaac Adaka Boro(Nigerian Army) and Canadian Olympic gold medalist and world wrestling champion Daniel Igali,and former national team footballers Finidi George and Samson Siasia,Olympic/under-20s coach.
VOTED GOVERNORS OF BAYELSA.
Phillip Ajaye,Habu duara,Omoniyi Caleb Olub0lade,Paul Obi,Diepreye Alamiesagha,Goodluck Ebele Jonathan(president of Nigeria),Timi-pre Sylva(convicted),Werinipre Seibarugo,Nestor Binado,Henry Dickson(present governor).
There are billions of naira moving into the state but there is absolute nothing to show for it as a sign of development, with all this revenue moving in, the Education sector of the state is still very poor, where government schools are out of date, tell me a child that will like to go to school where there are no chairs and also no enough teachers around, lack of disciplined student resulting to maximum number of them ending as cultist, only one laboratory is found in the whole state and its out of date, no laboratory for science student to carry out practical’s(state capital)not to talk of what other student in the local village are experiencing therefore rich parent are sending their children to private school with conducive environment to study. Take a few seconds to ask yourself this question ‘’why are they sending their children to school outside this country, why not allow them school and probably feel the same way others are feeling if they think they are doing good thing by keeping the money to themselves and allow the poor to suffer? They are killing the dreams of our young poor ones.
It might also interest you to know that 99% of what we eat come from outside this state, the agricultural sector is dead, during the last flood that attacked the nation, the cost of everything was so high that some people could not afford to buy whereby some could not have their normal meal as it where before, because virtually none of the agricultural products where coming from Bayelsa for the people to buy not to talk about selling to other states, but yet they have food in abundance letting the poor to wallow in on hunger, even the environment of the state capital is a terrible disgrace compare to other states at large, the drainage found around the state are well taken care of therefore water could not pass through as a result gathered on places where people live rendering people homeless.
As big as Bayelsa state there is no company (rubber, slippers or even soap) where few things can be produced. The only infrastructure we can boost of is ‘’HOTEL’’ where they take the young girls to satisfy their needs………….Who do you think is going to bring the change?
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