The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Bayelsa State, George Turnah, has said the state’s worsening economic hardship was a consequence of poor spending priorities rather than inadequate revenue, urging Governor Douye Diri to launch large-scale social intervention programmes.
Turnah said the state government should immediately recruit 20,000 youths into the Bayelsa Volunteer and Bayelsa Vigilante schemes with a monthly stipend of N150,000, insisting that such an initiative would simultaneously tackle unemployment, insecurity and poverty.
Speaking with journalists on Wednesday shortly after arriving at the Port Harcourt International Airport from Abuja, he argued that the proposed programme, estimated to cost about N3bn monthly, was within the financial capacity of the state.
“The greatest challenge facing Bayelsa today is not the absence of financial resources, but misplaced priorities in public spending,” Turnah said.
He maintained that the government should redirect its focus towards programmes that provide immediate relief to residents, including the payment of pension and gratuity arrears, the restoration of bursaries for students, subsidised healthcare services and affordable transportation.
According to him, government investment in a fleet of mass transit buses would ease the transportation burden on residents and stimulate economic activities across the state.
Turnah stressed that governments should be judged by the impact of their policies on the lives of ordinary citizens.
“A government genuinely committed to improving the living conditions of its people would prioritise programmes that directly tackle hunger, unemployment and poverty while providing relief to families struggling with rising living costs,” he said.
The PDP chairman also dismissed suggestions that the 2027 governorship election in Bayelsa had already been decided following Governor Diri’s recent remarks on the opposition’s chances.
He said the next election would revolve around the welfare of the people rather than political declarations.
“The people desire leadership that places their welfare first, creates jobs for young people, supports students, protects senior citizens, strengthens healthcare and grows the economy,” he said.
Turnah added that consultations among opposition political parties were nearing completion and disclosed that “an opposition coalition will soon be inaugurated in Bayelsa State with the objective of providing a credible and people-focused political alternative.”
He expressed confidence that Bayelsans would determine the state’s political future through the ballot.
