Bayelsa to complete new nine-storey secretariat in 24 months, says Diri

Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dame Didi Walson-Jack, on Saturday, expressed delight over the construction of a new nine-storey civil servants secretariat by the Bayelsa State government.

Mrs. Walson-Jack said when completed, the iconic structure would go down in her memory as an exciting legacy of Governor Douye Diri’s administration.

She stated this when she performed the groundbreaking ceremony of the project in Yenagoa.

According to her, the event was a special, significant milestone for her as she had served in the Bayelsa public service and felt a sense of nostalgia to witness the historic foundation-laying ceremony.

She said, “The civil service is the engine of government, providing the expertise, structure necessary for effective governance. A well-motivated and efficient civil service requires capable personnel, robust policies and an enabling work environment that clusters professionalism, collaboration and innovation.”

The HoSF stressed that the project was a testament to the state government’s commitment to strengthening the institutional framework that underpins governance and service delivery.

“This new state secretariat is a commendable effort to provide public servants with a conducive workplace environment. I applaud the Bayelsa State government for its dedication to infrastructure development.

“This project aligns with the broader vision of strengthening the Nigerian civil service at both the state and federal levels to deliver people-centred governance.”

In his remarks, Diri, said the workers’ complex would be an electronic secretariat, noting that the cost of the project was N46 billion.

He stated that the government had already mobilised the contractors with 30% of the project sum and had directed the release of another 20% as soon as it commenced work on site.

Diri, who assured that funding of the project would not be a problem, said the timeline for delivery was 24 months and charged the state workers to reciprocate the government’s support for their welfare and wellbeing.

According to him, “What propelled me to build a new secretariat was the civil servants’ request for office accommodation, which became a recurring decimal every Workers’ Day in the state.”

He expressed delight that with the construction of the new secretariat, labour unions would no longer complain of inadequate office space.

The Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Moses Teibowei, also stated that the project was conceived and initiated by the Diri administration and that the structure will provide a conducive and befitting communal space for the workforce.

He listed some of the features in the proposed structure to include modern eco-friendly green solutions that would support key functional needs of the state and that it would have a footprint of 3,675.633 square metres within a proposed gross area of 26,762.99 square metres with parking space for 155 cars.

Speaking on behalf of the project contractor, the Operations Director of Megastar Technical and Construction Company Ltd, Mr. Carlos Zanone, said the edifice will be equipped with a solar power-backed system, conference halls, a six-bed sick bay, a crèche to support working families among other features.

He added that the facility will be built to modern standards and finished with high-quality materials that will improve and beautify the surrounding area.

Zanone assured that the 24-month completion time frame was achievable.

In her remarks, the State Head of Service, Mrs. Biobelemoye Charles-Onyema, expressed appreciation to‎ Governor Diri, noting that the edifice will be a dream come true for all civil servants in the state.