A Vision for a New Yenagoa City
Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State, has long been considered the heart of the Ijaw nation. This identity was solidified in 1999 when the late Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha declared Bayelsa the “Jerusalem of the Ijaw nation.” Successive governors have continued to embrace this symbolism, with former Governor Seriake Dickson even declaring Yenagoa as the capital of the Ijaw nation. However, by the end of his tenure, Dickson dismissed the city as a “forest capital,” citing the sprawling slums and poor infrastructure — a sentiment that still resonates with professionals and civic groups.
In response to these challenges, successive administrations have explored the idea of a new, planned city to revitalize Yenagoa’s image. Former President Goodluck Jonathan and Dickson initiated the New Yenagoa City Project, a state-backed initiative designed to create a modern district featuring government buildings, residential areas, and dual carriageways across the Epie Creek.
The project has continued under Governor Douye Diri. His administration has overseen land reclamation, road construction, and housing for lawmakers and commissioners. According to the Commissioner for Works, Moses Teibowei, over 90% of payments for key roads have been made, and several projects are at advanced stages. Officials describe the development as proof that Bayelsa’s swampy terrain is not a curse but a foundation for renewal.
Yet, beyond the official optimism, questions remain about the project’s viability. Basic utilities are still absent in the new estates, with residents relying on boreholes for water and generators for electricity. Inflation has also driven up project costs, raising concerns about sustainability.
The Ambitious Scope of the Project
The New Yenagoa City Project spans 15,000 hectares, bounded by Government House to the south, the Epie Creek to the east, and the NNS Soroh facility to the north, with provisions for future expansion. The master plan includes six dual carriageways, access roads, and multiple entry points from Government House, Onopa, Imgbi Road, Amassoma Road, and the LNG Road at Gbarantoru community. While the Onopa and Government House axes are ready, others remain under construction. A bridge across the Epie Creek at Imgbi Road is also in progress, expected to ease traffic for commuters heading towards the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
Despite the scale of work, some basic utilities are still missing. For now, lawmakers and commissioners resident in the estates rely on boreholes as there are no public waterworks. But, according to the state Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Moses Teibowei, 95 per cent of payments for all the roads under construction have been made. “I can tell you that about 95 per cent of the roads have been completed. Roads one and two were commissioned during the last anniversary, but roads three to six were not ready then. I believe that by His Excellency’s sixth year in office, those roads will also be commissioned.”
Ongoing Projects and Challenges
Teibowei listed other big-ticket projects under construction, including the Angiama-Oporma bridge in Southern Ijaw, the Nembe-Brass road, the nine-storey New State Secretariat, the Ekeremor-Agge road, and a new stadium. “The Angiama-Oporma bridge is 630 metres long, the biggest we have ever attempted since Bayelsa was created. The Nembe-Brass road project will feature the St Nicholas River Bridge, linking our section with the Federal Government’s phase. For the stadium, sand filling is about 90 per cent complete, piling has commenced, and 30 per cent of the contract sum has been paid. By December, another 30 per cent will be paid to keep the contractors on schedule. Contractors are not being owed, which is why they are working,” he said.
On erosion challenges, the commissioner noted that new technologies were being considered. “The governor directed that even if it warrants travelling to the Netherlands, we should go. For now, we are studying local options. Drainages will be provided at the New Yenagoa City, electricity will be provided, and water will be treated for public supply,” he said.
Still, Teibowei admitted inflation was biting hard. “Twenty-one kilometres of road now costs N156bn. The same length was awarded for N56bn some years ago, and was later reviewed to N116bn. Inflation is biting harder,” he lamented.
Political and Public Reactions
During the commissioning of Road Two in the new city earlier this year, Governor Douye Diri framed the project as proof that Bayelsa’s swampy terrain was not a curse but a blessing. He also renewed his call for higher federal allocations to enable the state to develop at par with others. The inauguration held as part of the projects marking Diri’s fifth anniversary saw Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State inaugurate Road Two, a dual carriageway in the New Yenagoa City, while Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abass, inaugurated the new legislators’ quarters. Umo saluted his Bayelsa counterpart, noting that political will must have been critical to execute and complete such projects in a marshy terrain such as Bayelsa’s.
The government’s push has won both applause and criticism. The Director-General of New Media, Dr Kolawole Oredipe, argued that Diri deserved credit for staying focused. “He takes his time to make decisions on issues, and when he hears about frivolous things that are not part of his values, he dismisses them,” Oredipe said. But critics say the government’s fixation on “signature projects” like the New Yenagoa City shows misplaced priorities.
Labour Party’s governorship candidate, Udengs Eradiri, faulted the vision. “There’s no strong vision behind it. There is passion to get roads done, but no vision or understanding around building a city; that’s why, if you visit the Assembly Quarters and Commissioners’ Quarters, you’ll see borehole after borehole. A new city should have water reticulation, power supply and dredged land. They have done wonderful roads, but roads alone cannot transform that place into a livable environment. Nobody builds quarters anymore; they build communities where public officials, businesses and residents coexist. What is happening is more of patronage construction. If you want to rate it in terms of building a city, they are joking in that place,” Eradiri argued.
A Promise and a Puzzle
For Bayelsans, the New Yenagoa City remains both a promise and a puzzle — a bold dream of urban rebirth weighed down by questions of vision, resources, and priorities. To government officials, it is proof that the state can rise above its swampy terrain and build a modern capital to rival others. To critics, it is another white-elephant project, heavy on symbolism but light on substance. Between these extremes lie ordinary Bayelsans, who still fetch water from boreholes, drive through flooded streets, and wait for the day Yenagoa will shed the tag of a “forest capital” for a city they can truly call home.
