Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has declared today a work-free day and ordered the closure of markets ahead of the visit of President Bola Tinubu to the state.
 
The Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, made this known yesterday on behalf of the state government.
 
She said that the President will inaugurate key projects during the visit, including a state-owned gas turbine at Opolo-Elebele, a 60-kilometre dual carriageway from Onopa to the LNG axis, and a 630-metre bridge linking Angiama to Oporoma in the Southern Ijaw Local Council Area.
 
She said: “As we all know, the state is ready and we are ready as a people to receive the father of the nation, our father and leader in the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who will be in the state on a one-day visit to inaugurate four legacy projects.
 
“In view of this, the state government has declared tomorrow, Friday, April 10, 2026, a work-free day to enable workers and other residents of the state to participate in the programmes lined up for the one-day official visit to Bayelsa State.”
 
Koku-Obiyai further urged residents, including traders, to comply with the directive and turn out to welcome the President.
 
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Nneamaka Okafor, yesterday, described the President’s visit as a clear demonstration of his administration’s commitment to national development and inclusive growth aimed at improving the lives of citizens.
 
He commended Tinubu’s leadership and the ongoing economic reforms under the Renewed Hope agenda, noting that they have significantly enhanced states’ financial capacity.
 
Also, the Bayelsa State government has said that Tinubu’s visit to the state will open a new phase of economic growth and attract investment.
 
The special adviser to Governor Douye Diri on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and former lawmaker, Jonathan Obuebite, said the projects lined up for commissioning are not just state achievements but developments with national economic importance.