Bayelsa MDG: Touching Lives In A Unique Way (Part 1)
Ordinarily, Hon. Apere Embeleakpo would pass for a quiet man with the mien of a pastor, seeking to save the souls of men but he is neither a pastor nor a seer of either the orthodox or Pentecostal variety. Apere has however pursued this goal using the instrumentality of his office.
He is vivacious, gregarious, focused, highly committed and passionate about the mandate given to him by Governor Seriake Dickson. Weighing his achievements against the tide of economic chaos in Nigeria, one can only say, Governor Seriake Dickson has exhibited enormous sagacity in the choice of Hon. Apere as the MDG boss. In Bayelsa State, he heads an office that has really touched the lives of the youths and rural communities thereby giving development a more profound meaning.
This year 2015 is the deadline for the accomplishment of the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs. In Bayelsa State there is no gainsaying that Hon. Apere Embeleakpo - the MDG boss has given a good account of himself since he mounted the saddle. He is disciplined, focused and committed to the development of physical and human resources within the context of the Restoration Agenda. The MDG are so dear to the heart and mind of Governor Seriake Dickson and Apere the Senior Special Assistant on MDG pursues the vision of the Restoration Agenda with incredible speed and commitment. This explains why more than a passing attention is given to the pursuit of the realization of the MDGs in Bayelsa State.
The millennium development goals (MDGs) is a set of eight point agenda adopted by 149 World leaders on how to stem the problem of poverty and its attendant horrors in the Least Developed Countries (LDGs) of the world. The decisions to formulate a long term poverty reduction strategy was reached during the United Nations Millennium summit held in September 2000, in line with the International development Targets (IDT’s) which aims at improving economic wellbeing, social and human development and ensuring environmental sustainability to meet the needs of today without compromising the needs of generations to come.
The outcome of the United Nations Millennium summit was a declaration committing all members’ states to strive to achieve the following Millennium development goals by 2015. Nigeria is a signatory. The goals include:
Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Goal 2: Achieve universal basic education
Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
Goal 4: Reduce child mortality
Goal 5: Improve maternal health
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases
Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
Goal 8: develop global partnership
The United Nations Human Development Index, measures achievement in health and longevity (Life) expectancy at birth), education (Adult literacy and enrolment at primary school, secondary and tertiary institutions), and living standard (GDP per capital) as a composite indicator of development, countries index are measured by how close they have come to attaining a life expectancy of 85 years, 100% adult literacy and school enrolment and GDP per capital of $40,000 per year.
Most of the activities that will be required to meet the MDGs are in fact the constitutional responsibility of state and Local government-activities like managing healthcare facilities allocating teachers to schools, and investing unsustainable water supply schemes- and in Bayelsa State, the Office of the Senior special Assistant to the governor on MDGs is mandated as an enabler to coordinate and facilitate the structures and processes for this project.
It is on this premise that the Bayelsa social Media team, in its effort at reporting Government to the people, met with Apere Embeleakpo, SSA to the Governor on MDGs. Presenting his score card. Aperela reiterated that funds for the MDGs are tied to specific projects on yearly basis and that his administration have completed the projects of 2011 which were hitherto, uncompleted because to the political aspirations of his predecessor, Chief Remember Ogbe- Chairman, Southern/jaw Local Government Area.
The MGD office has touched the lives of so many communities. The MDG office has embarked on Community health-related projects, water schemes, and distribution of GSM’s, construction of classroom blocks, Headmasters quarters, VIP toilets, Hospital ambulances. To further consolidate on the achievements so far recorded, his administration has intensified the buildings of Health Centre’s and provision of drugs and equipment for the 2012 as follows:
1. Eleven health centres and three health posts;
2. Provision of health Facilities (11 Staff quarters) for 2012.
3. Construction of two classroom blocks
4. Provision of 28 motorized boreholes
5. Provision of 19 solar power projects
6. Provision of VIP toilets for schools
7. Distribution of ambulances and referral boats to communities
8. Distribution of health equipment to 48 health centre’s across the state
9. Provision if 16,000 desks for school pupils
10. Distribution of 960 hybrid banana suckers to famers
11. Provision of grants to cooperatives
12. Provision of Handsets for pay Phone operators
The MDG boss stated that, his office has procured of 2,500 pieces of phones for distribution to the poorest of Bayelsans. The office has also concluded plans to pay such persons monthly stipends of five Thousand Naira as a measure of empowerment.
When the Social Media crew visited the MDG office, Comrade Embeleakpo Apere thanked Governor Henry Seriake Dickson for his prompt release of the 2012 counterpart funding which has earned him the title of the MDG compliant Governor. Both the Social Media committee and the MDG office promised to work towards the improvement of the standard of living of the people. Since then, Governor Seriake Dickson has always released accruals to the State from the MDG office Abuja.
Recently, the MDG Office has provided the following:
1. Provision of 5,000 desks for schools
2. Distribution of drugs to 100 primary health centres
3. Provision of Mini-water schemed – 70 litres per reservoirs with a reticulation of 5mm
4. Provision of phones for the poorest of the poor as empowerment package
5. Provision of 120 tricycles ready for distribution
6. Provision 1,120 sewing machines for the empowerment of women provision of 800 Electric Grinding machines and expecting more
7. 13 No. 75 horses power speed boats
8. 30, 000 insecticides rated nets. In the State- Owned Niger Delta University, the target is for each student to get 1 mosquito treated net. In all 10,000 were distributed.
9. 8 ambulance boats to facilitate health care service delivery in the riverine areas of the state.
10. 9 Ambulance vehicles to facilitate health care delivery in the land areas
11. Health Centre in Tombia in Yenagoa LGA of Bayelsa State
12. Distribution cutlasses, wheel barrow, hoes, and other farm implements to all LGAs of the State
13. State of the art poultry at Ebedebiri for domestic consumption, and for export
14. Water Scheme is 700 liters tanks and 5 mm reticulation area, they are all solar powered.
15. Solar Water Powered Scheme - 800 liters tanks and 5 mm reticulation area in Biseni, Yenagoa LGA of Bayelsa State.
16. Solar Water Powered Scheme - 800 liters tanks and 5 reticulation area in Zarama, Yenagoa LGA of Bayelsa State.
17. Solar Water Powered Scheme – 800 liters tanks and 5 mm reticulation area in Azikoro, Yenagoa LGA of Bayelsa State.
18. Solar Water Powered Scheme - 700 liters tanks and 5 mm reticulation area in Otakeme in Ogbia LGA of Bayelsa State.
19. Solar Water Powered Scheme - 700 liters tanks and 5 kilometers reticulation area in Nedugo-Agbia, Yenagoa LGA of Bayelsa State.
20. Solar Water Powered Scheme - 800 liters tanks and 5 mm reticulation area in Bolou Orua, in Sagbama LGA of Bayelsa State.
21. Solar Water Powered Scheme - 800 liters tanks and 5 mm reticulation area in Toru-Orua in Sagbama LGA of Bayelsa State.
22. Solar Water Powered Scheme – 700 liters tanks and 5 mm reticulation area in Agbere in Sagbama LGA of Bayelsa State.
23. Solar Water Powered Scheme - 700 liters tanks and 5mm reticulation area in Odi-Town in Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA of Bayelsa State.
24. Solar Water Powered Scheme - 800 liters tanks and 5 mm reticulation area in Kaiama in Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA of Bayelsa State.
25. Solar Water Powered Scheme - 800 liters tanks and 5 mm reticulation area in Biseni, Yenagoa LGA of Bayelsa State.
26. Solar Water Powered Scheme - 700 liters tanks and 5mm reticulation area in Otuasega in Ogbia LGA of Bayelsa State
27. Solar Water Powered Scheme - 700 liters tanks and 5mm reticulation area in Okolobiri, Yenagoa LGA of Bayelsa State
28. Solar Water Powered Scheme - 80 liters tanks and 5mm reticulation area in Famgbe, Yenagoa LGA of Bayelsa State.
In the immediate past administration, these amenities were a rarity. The high performance of the Restoration administration is what stands the administration out as a people-oriented one. The MDG office has done so much to improve the living conditions of the people in Bayelsa State, and it can only get better.
From the Desk of Bayelsa Social Media
19/08/2015