By Jesse Ese
National News — The Technical Adviser to Governor Douye Diri on Fiscal Policy, Dr. Isari Peregbe, has described the 60MW gas turbine power plant and the Oporoma dual carriageway as landmark projects that will transform Bayelsa State into an industrial investment hub, triggering a revenue boom and industrial revolution.
Dr. Isari made this known in a statement issued to newsmen in Yenagoa on Friday to welcome President Bola Tinubu to the state to commission the newly built projects.
While commending the president for his uncommon love toward the government and people of Bayelsa State, which he demonstrated by coming in person to be part of this historic event, Isari said Bayelsans are lucky to have a visionary governor like Diri whom he described as a silent achiever.
He said what Gov. Diri has done will unlock massive economic opportunities and expand government revenue across Bayelsa State, saying that, for once, the people are blessed with a leader who is busy building “transformational economic assets” with great potentials of reshaping the state’s fiscal future.
According to him, the 60MW gas turbine power plant represents a strategic shift from infrastructure development to economic productivity, noting that the project would deliver reliable electricity needed to drive industrialisation and attract large-scale investments.
He explained that stable power supply from the plant would immediately reduce business disruptions, lower operational costs for industries and provide the energy backbone required for manufacturing, agro-processing, petrochemical industries and technology-driven enterprises.
Dr. Isari further noted that the project would deepen downstream gas utilisation by harnessing Bayelsa’s abundant gas resources, while strengthening economic diversification and boosting local industrial capacity.
The Fiscal Policy Adviser stressed that the power project would also strengthen investor confidence, noting that reliable electricity remains one of the most critical factors investors consider before establishing industries.
He added that the project would catalyse private sector participation, encourage public-private partnerships and accelerate the emergence of industrial clusters across Bayelsa State.
Speaking particularly on the Oporoma dual carriageway, Dr. Isari described the road project as a major economic corridor designed to open up hinterland communities and unlock untapped agricultural and mineral resources.
According to him, the road will significantly reduce transportation costs, improve access to markets and ports, and enhance movement of goods and services, thereby boosting economic productivity across rural and urban communities.
Dr. Isari further listed key fiscal benefits expected from the projects, including expansion of the state’s internally generated revenue through increased business activities, improved tax compliance and formalisation of enterprises.
He also noted that the projects would create direct and indirect employment opportunities across construction, plant operations, logistics, agriculture and emerging industries, leading to poverty reduction and improved household incomes.
The Fiscal Policy Adviser added that local power generation would reduce transmission losses, cut emergency power costs and improve government fiscal planning and efficiency.
He further emphasised that the projects would promote local content participation by creating opportunities for contractors, small and medium-scale enterprises, as well as skilled and unskilled workers in the state.
Dr. Isari described the projects as part of a broader fiscal and economic strategy aimed at aligning infrastructure development with sustainable revenue growth and long-term economic transformation.
He stated that the commissioning of the projects marks a defining moment for Bayelsa State, positioning it as a competitive investment destination and an emerging industrial hub in the Niger Delta region.
He said, “Governor Douye Diri is laying a long-term foundation for sustainable development, with projects designed not only to deliver immediate economic gains but to ensure that future administrations inherit a stronger, more resilient fiscal and infrastructure base.”
“The ongoing investments are structured to reduce developmental bottlenecks over time, so that successive governments will not struggle with basic economic and infrastructural deficits, but instead build on a solid platform of progress and enjoy the enduring dividends of the current administration’s sacrifices,” he added.
