ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
Youths in Bayelsa State have commended former Governor Seriake Dickson for initiating 60 metric tonnes of cassava processing plant at Ebedebiri community in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state.
The youths, under the auspices of Bayelsa West Youth Leaders Forum (BWYLF), said in a statement on Thursday that it was thoughtful of the former governor, now Senator representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District at the National Assembly, to initiate the project.
The group in the statement signed by the Acting Director General of the group, Akeme Moses, Secretary, Ms. Mercy Clement, and Publicity Secretary, Doupere Fada, said the project, when inaugurated, would employ thousands of youths in the district and the state, a development that would empower many of the restive youths.
The statement said: “The starch, cassava and garri factory is one of the biggest of its kind in Nigeria. It has the capacity to generate thousands of jobs for deserving youths in Bayelsa West and the state at large.
“This is the kind of project needed in the state to boast job opportunities. We are proud of the former governor for initiating the project. The project, will no doubt, empower the youths and drive many of them away from criminality.”
The BWYLF also applauded Governo Douye Diri, who inherited the gigantic project and continued from where his predecessor stopped.
The group said the continuation of the project by Diri, would no doubt consolidate his administration’s prosperity agenda.
The group said the leadership of BWYLF visited the site recently to see things for themselves, noting that the the immediate past and present administrations in the state deserved commendation for the standard of equipment in the plant.
It said: “It is worth protecting jealously to avoid any form of damage. Therefore, as a group, we appeal to the current administration to facilitate the completion of the project that has a huge economic value.
“The project is capable of engaging a good number of our youths in the state when inaugurated and put to use. It will definitely guarantee food security in the state.”
The group also used the medium to call on Bayelsa people, mostly those from Sagbama/Ekeremor senatorial district, to make good use of the factory by going into serious cassava farming in order to boost the state’s economy.