Gov. Diri inaugurates German-funded UN projects in Bayelsa

Bayelsa’s Gov. Douye Diri has inaugurated two projects executed by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and funded by the German government.

The projects, located at Otuan community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa are a police station outpost, a youth development centre and a cassava processing factory.

Diri commended the German government and the UNODC for facilitating the projects and for partnering with his administration on crime prevention and community development.

He said the projects indicated that the collaboration between the state government and international development partners was yielding positive results. The governor directed the Ministry of Education to renovate dilapidated primary schools buildings in the community and supply additional furniture to the schools.

Diri also approved the expansion of the state-owned garri processing centre, the construction of access roads and installation of more solar lights in the benefiting community. He also directed the management of the State Community Safety Corps to engage more qualified hands to enhance community policing.

In her remarks, the German ambassador to Nigeria, Annett Gunther, said there was the need to bring communities together and to evolve strategies to combat crime. She explained that this would increase the quality of relationship between communities and security forces.

Gunther noted that the youth centre would engage young people in sports and skills acquisition to prevent them from substance abuse and crime.

Also speaking at the inauguration, UNODC Country Representative in Nigeria, Dr Oliver Stolpe, said the projects would empower beneficiaries by changing their mind sets and assist them in addressing security challenges.

He charged Bayelsa government to engage the UNODC, other international development partners and the Niger Delta Development Commission, to ensure sustainable development of the state.

Speaking at the event, Commissioner of Police in Bayelsa, Mr Rumokere Ibani, solicited the cooperation of communities in the fight against sea piracy, kidnapping and other crimes.

Presenting an address on behalf of the community, Chief Victor Perebi, said the projects and programmes instituted by the German government and the UNODC would have far-reaching impact on Otuan and neighbouring communities.

He noted that Otuan was without a functional police post for more than a decade until UNODC provided one. Perebi expressed gratitude to the German government for the gesture and said the youth development centre would teach youths sporting skills, hair-styling, detergent-making and bead-making.