From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Some 45 years after it was placed on the drawing board, the Lalagbani Bridge in Ekeremor Local Government, Bayelsa State, is about to become a reality. The bridge was mooted during the General Muritala Mohammed government. It has not been able to attract the attention of successive administrations in the old Rivers and present day Bayelsa states.
The people have endured the hardship, waiting for the divine intervention. But the long wait is over, courtesy of Tare Porri, representing state Ekeremor Constituency 1.
He said: “I promised my people that I am going to bring a bridge through my office. Today, by the special grace of God I want to thank Governor Douye Diri for approving and constructing the life transforming bridge at Lalagbani. For over 45 years it has been on the drawing board. Today, that project is a reality. In the next two or three weeks that project will be commissioned.”
Diri’s representative, Collis Cocodia, said: “The Assembly member needs to be commended. The project has been on the drawing board for over 45 years and today the communities are happy it is no longer in the drawing board but in the full realisation of the dreams they had before this time. I am happy to have come here on behalf of the governor to have first hand information about this constituency project.”
Fred Agbedi, representing Sagbama/ Ekeremor Federal Consistency said: “I am excited to be part of this occasion. If you are elected to represent to serve the people, it is incumbent of you to come and give stewardship and account to the people. Today, Pori has come not only to do that but to empower the people both in physical infrastructure and empowerment.”
Mr Perewaribo Eseimokumo, chairman, PDP Ekeremor LG said: “This is a commendable project. As we are talking today, the Ekeremor/ Sagbama Road is on going the Yenagoa/Oporoma Road is on going. The bridge is going to change our lives. It is going to give us a sense of belonging and it is going to ensure that development comes to this our part of the state.”