The Bayelsa State Government has awarded a N45 billion contract to construct a new 9-storey secretariat complex in the state capital, Yenagoa. This according to Governor Duoye Diri, is part of efforts of his administration to improve working conditions for civil servants in the state capital.
This announcement was made during the 136th executive council meeting presided over by Governor Douye Diri, where the architectural blueprint of the building was presented to the council.
The Bayelsa State Governor said the decision to build the new secretariat was in response to civil servants’ requests for more office space during the last Workers Day celebrations in the state. He added that the new secretariat will solve the problem of overcrowding in government offices in the state capital and eliminate need for paying rents on additional offices as is currently the practice.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting, the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Moses Teibowei, provided further details about the project.
He stated that the contract for the secretariat project would be awarded through the Central Procurement Board of Bayelsa State. He said that the project is slated for completion in 30 months. The Commissioner added that the total cost of the project is not expected to exceed N45 billion.
“The contract would be awarded through the Central Procurement Board of Bayelsa State. The Building itself is a 9-storey structure.
“The time frame for the completion of the project is estimated to be 30 months and the project is to be constructed at the cost of not more than N45 billion,” Teibowei stated.
The Commissioner for Information, Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai on his part outlined additional features that is expected to come with the secretariat, including a crèche and other modern facilities to improve the work environment for state employees.
“In that secretariat, a crèche is already part of what we are expecting and other facilities are also there.
“I want to believe that at the end the workers would be happy and the state will look more beautiful,” she said.
Bayelsa state is one of the highest revenue earners from the Federation Account Allocation Committee. In 2023, Bayelsa State with 8 local government areas received a total FAAC allocation of N268.34 billion. This is excluding allocations to its LGAs and the revenue the state generates from independent sources.
Despite these revenue inflows and a small population, Bayelsa has the second highest poverty rate in Nigeria at 88% after Sokoto.