Technical Adviser on Media and Public Affairs to the Bayelsa State Government, Wisdom Ikuli, has praised Governor Douye Diri for fulfilling his promise to light up the state, describing the gas turbine electricity project as a transformative initiative that will reposition Bayelsa for economic growth and prosperity.
Ikuli, who spoke on Wednesday at the project site along Elebele Road in Yenagoa, said that when the state is fully lighted up, many businesses would spring back to life, and Bayelsa would experience a new wave of development.
He said that by January this year, the project area was “bushy and swampy,” but within months, it had been transformed into a major site of industrial activity, demonstrating the governor’s commitment to his promises.
“The power that the governor promised — that before the end of this year, there will be 24-hour uninterrupted electricity in Bayelsa State — is gradually becoming a reality. We are going to experience a multiplier effect, with many people coming into Bayelsa and businesses booming,” Ikuli said.
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He noted that investors and entrepreneurs prefer to operate in areas with stable electricity and predicted that many people from neighbouring states would relocate to Bayelsa to take advantage of the new energy infrastructure.
Ikuli also commended Governor Diri for procuring two aircraft to boost the state’s commercial flight operations, saying both projects align with the governor’s “Assured Prosperity” mantra.
He, however, emphasized that residents must be willing to pay for electricity, adding that even in Aso Rock, electricity is not free.
“Is there any part of this country where power is free? Even people in Aso Rock pay for electricity. Gas is bought and converted into power. Considering how much we currently spend on fuel, diesel, and solar panels, what we’ll pay for steady light is insignificant. For me, it’s a new dawn because light is life — and Governor Douye Diri has come to give us life,” he said.
Meanwhile, Director of Operations, Bayelsa Electricity Company Limited, Mr. Steve Bubagha, disclosed that the gas turbine installation project is 85 percent completed and on course to be commissioned by December 2025.
He stated that six of the eight gas turbines had already arrived in the state, while the remaining two were on their way, noting that 95 percent of the electrical reticulation for the 33KV network had also been completed.
“Virtually every nook and cranny of Yenagoa will benefit from this project. Once the turbines are fully installed and accessories fitted, the system will be pre-commissioned, and the governor will announce the activation date,” Bubagha said.
He added that metering will be made affordable to ensure transparency and accountability, stressing that the Diri administration is determined to make Yenagoa one of the few Nigerian cities with reliable, round-the-clock electricity supply.
When completed, the Bayelsa Gas Turbine Power Project is expected to transform the state’s economic landscape, attracting investors, boosting commerce, and making Bayelsa a model of sustainable development in the Niger Delta
