Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

The European Union (EU) on Thursday expressed its desire to partner the Bayelsa State Government in critical sectors to foster socio-economic and infrastructural development of the state.

The Political Adviser to the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Thomas Kieller, who made this known during a courtesy call on Governor Douye Diri, in Government House, Yenagoa, also applauded the present administration’s development efforts in the state.

Mr. Kieller said the EU delegation was in Bayelsa on a fact-finding mission to identify key areas of collaboration with government, such as infrastructural development, human capacity building, and security, as well as key into already existing programmes of the state government.

While commending the Douye Diri-led Administration for its ongoing, critical infrastructural projects in parts of the state, he restated EU’s readiness to work closely with government towards improving the well-being of the people.

Mr. Kieller who said the EU team would spend a couple of days in the state meeting with various groups, explained that their visit was also to prepare the ground for the EU Ambassador’s planned visit to the state in no distant time.

In his remarks, Governor Douye Diri gave a pass mark to the EU for the success witnessed in all the EU-supported projects in the state, especially the State Employment and Expenditure for Result (SEEFOR)  programme.

According to the Governor, his administration has taken steps to embark on more rural projects using the SEEFOR model through its Ministry of Local Government and Community Development.

Governor Diri who spoke through his Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, said the state government was prepared to partner the EU to achieve sustainable development in the areas of environmental protection, security and manpower development through engagement of youths.

The Governor lamented that a greater percentage of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) processed and exported from the Bonny Export Terminal in Rivers State is actually hauled from gas fields in Bayelsa, but that no revenue was being paid to Bayelsa as derivation for gas production.

He urged the EU delegation to, as part of their fact-finding mission, carry out proper research on the environmental challenges facing Bayelsa as a result of oil and gas exploration activities in the state.

His words, “We want to thank you for the various programmes you have intervened, especially the EU-support programmes such as SEEFOR. We thought that you would have continued with the SEEFOR programme.

“This is because of the enormous impact it made in our society. We can assure you that quite a number of our communities benefited from the programme.

“The State Government has set up what we call the Ministry of Local Government and we are using that ministry to continue in that trajectory of the SEEFOR programme, seeing the success it has given to us.

“As a way of narrowing down the issues to areas where we want you to collaborate with us, we like to work closely with you in the areas of security, community development, environmental protection and manpower development.”

The Bayelsa Chief Executive assured the EU delegation of his readiness to host the EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms. Samuela Isopi, whenever she officially notifies the state of her intended visit.