Bayelsa Government Hands Over New Finance Building To NUPRC, As Dorgu Gets State Physical Planning Board Appointment

Senator Douye Diri, Governor of Bayelsa State on Monday , handed over the newly built Finance building to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission(NUPRC) as a temporary office.

NUPRC is part of Alternative Dispute Resolution to resolve disputes in oil-producing communities in the Niger Delta region.

At the hand over, Governor Diri commended Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo for, having heard of the relocation of the ADRC, and influencing it to Bayelsa State, stating that, he has displayed nationalism in the highest form to the people of the Niger Delta region.

“This building was designed and tagged as the building meant for the Ministry of Finance and it was completed on record time. And so, the Ministry of Finance was preparing and warming up to pack into their new building.

However, within the same period, I received a letter from the NUPRC requesting an office space for an Alternative Dispute Resolution centre, to be established here in Bayelsa State in Yenagoa, which from all the information we had, was to be centred in Lagos.

“And one of our sons, who got to know about it came against it and started moving towards relocating the ADRC to the region where the dispute was originating.

“So, I like to at this juncture, commend one of our own very strong nationalists, a very prosperous Ijaw son, Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo, for being one of the strong voices behind the relocation of the ADRC to the centre where you have the disputes.

“So, on behalf of the Government and good people of Bayelsa State, send our warm greetings to our brother, who has displayed nationalism in the highest of its form to the people of the Niger Delta, and indeed to the Ijaw ethnic nationality.

“Having said that, I hereby on behalf of the Government and the good people of Bayelsa State hand over this edifice to you as a temporary office,” Governor Diri stated.

The delegation was led by Captain Roland Tonlagha, Executive Commissioner, Health, Safety, Community and Environment in the Commission.

Meanwhile,Bayelsa State Governor,  has appointed Hon. Kuroakegha Dorgu as Executive Chairman, Bayelsa State Physical Planning and Development Board.

Governor Diri’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday, said his appointment is with immediate effect.

Dorgu, a Town Planner and former Commissioner for Lands and Survey under the immediate past Senator Seriake Dickson administration, takes over from the overseer of the board, Alabo Gideon Ekeuwei, following the latter’s appointment as Secretary to the State Government in February this year.

The new appointee, who hails from Amassoma community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state, was a member of the Bayelsa State House Assembly between 2007 and 2015.

He also served as secretary of the Bayelsa State Physical Planning and Development Authority (2021-2022) and as Chairman, Bayelsa State Environmental Sanitation Authority (2002-2003).

Dorgu holds a Bachelor of Technology in Urban and Regional Planning from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State as well as a Master of Science in Project Management Technology from the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt.