The BDI, through its secretary, Michael-Sam Rodamini, issued a statement on Friday asserting that the recent visit by Governor Douye Diri to Odioma, a community besieged by ocean surges, highlighted the PDP's alleged cluelessness, incompetence, and insincerity in addressing the challenges faced by coastal areas.
Rodamini highlighted the delayed response of Governor Diri to the crisis, pointing out that he only visited the area after the Labour Party's governorship candidate, Udengs Eradiri, had already inspected the disaster site, expressed sympathy with the affected people, and provided them with hope.
This perceived delay in action led Rodamini to question the governor's motives, suggesting that the visit was politically motivated rather than a genuine attempt to tackle the ecological concerns of the community.
"The traumatised people of Odioma cried for many weeks and begged for urgent interventions from the government to save them, but the Diri-led PDP government turned deaf ears to their pains," Rodamini asserted.
He further criticised the PDP-led administration for neglecting the plight of Odioma's residents, allowing the ocean surge to continue unabated, resulting in the destruction of homes and displacement of inhabitants.
In a bold assertion, Rodamini underscored the BDI's stance: "We want to tell Governor Diri that the people of Odioma and, indeed, the entire people of Bayelsa are not foolish."
This statement serves as a reflection of the growing discontent within the community and beyond, as frustrations mount over perceived government inaction in the face of a grave environmental crisis.
The BDI's critique extended beyond Odioma, encompassing the broader neglect of coastal communities by successive PDP administrations.
Rodamini lamented that these administrations had failed to recognise the economic potential of the state's ocean resources and the need for specialised attention to the development of coastal regions. "They all cry over poor internally-generated revenue but fail to realise the economic potential of the ocean surrounding the state to generate massive internal revenue," Rodamini lamented.
The dire situation was not limited to Odioma alone. Rodamini expressed empathy for the plight of the Obogoro community in Yenagoa, which is grappling with severe erosion leading to the destruction of homes and displacement of residents.
He called for a change in leadership, stating, "We cannot continue to allow these kinds of persons to be at the helm of affairs. The LP candidate, Udengs Eradiri, had continued to raise the alarm over the development in Obogoro. We need to send these PDP leaders out of Creek Haven and enthrone a better alternative."
Meanwhile, Governor Douye Diri's visit to Odioma acknowledged the severity of the situation. He reportedly informed the community that the challenge surpassed the state government's capacity to handle it alone, alluding to the need for collaborative efforts to address the ecological crisis.
As Bayelsa's coastal communities grapple with ongoing ecological challenges, the BDI's criticism resonates as a clarion call for more proactive and effective measures from the government to safeguard these vulnerable areas.