ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Government has demanded that intervention agencies, commissions and organisations undertaking projects in host communities should always involve the communities and the state government to ensure that the right project is embarked upon.
Commissioner for Mineral Resources, Dr Ebieri Jones, stated this in Yenagoa, the state capital, at the maiden Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDC) Interactive Session/Open Forum with projects host communities organised by Lakeview Communications Limited.
Jones said the inclusion of relevant government agencies particularly during the project planning stage would ensure synergy and avoid the error in determining the need gap.
He stated: “Projects undertakers must close a need gap between the current condition and the preferred condition. The involvement of the communities and even the state government would provide assistance in ensuring that the right project is embarked upon. Errors in determining the need gap may have some implications such as insecurity.
“And insecurity on its part may lead to non-completion of projects, lack of collective community income, loss of employment, loss of collective future income, lack of community development and frustration, among others.”
Jones also urged the communities to see themselves as partners to ensure the successful execution of projects as it is for their overall benefit both in the short and in the long run
He said that projects must have timelines for completion and known to all stakeholders, noting, however, that where there are anticipated uncontrollable distortions, deviation or other unforeseen events that might delay project completion, explanations must be done to ease tension.