Bayelsa State Ministry of Information, Orientation & Strategy

05/09/2026

2026 MISS WORLD PAGEANT: Diri Tasks Bayelsans To Support Miss TAMUNOSOYE For The Crown.

As the grand finale of the 2026 Miss World Pageant takes place this evening, 5th September 2026, in Nha Trang, Vietnam, I call on all sons and daughters of Bayelsa State, the Ijaw Nation, and indeed Nigerians at home and in the diaspora, to unite in support of our worthy representative, Tamunosoye Karibi George.

Soye, who emerged as Miss World Nigeria, carries not only the hopes and aspirations of Bayelsa State, but also the pride and spirit of the entire Nigerian nation onto the global stage.

Having interacted personally with this exceptional young woman and followed her inspiring journey throughout this prestigious competition, one thing stands out clearly: Tamunosoye represents the very best of Nigeria: grace, intelligence, confidence and character. Every time she speaks, she reflects the dignity, brilliance and warmth of our people with remarkable poise.

I commend the tremendous support she has received thus far across various platforms. However, as the competition reaches its defining moment, I urge our people everywhere to intensify their support and vote massively for Tamunosoye. This goes beyond a beauty pageant; it is a moment of national pride and collective identity. Let us come together and bring the crown home to Nigeria.

As a government committed to promoting tourism, youth development and excellence, we are immensely proud of Tamunosoye as she continues to grace the world stage with elegance, confidence and poise. She has already made Bayelsa and Nigeria proud.

Congratulations, Soye. Bayelsa stands with you. The Ijaw Nation stands with you. Nigeria stands with you. Go and bring the crown home.

SDD

04/09/2026

Governor Diri Eulogises Late Madam Tonpreye Agbiaowei.

The Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, on Friday the 4th of September, 2026 joined the family members, friends and well-wishers to bid their farewell to Late Madam Tonpreye Agbiaowei, at Igbedi community in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of the State.

Late Agbiaowei is a close relation to the wife of the Governor, Mrs. Gloria Diri.

Governor Diri in his farewell message said, “It is with a heavy heart and deep sorrow that I have come to pay my tribute to the woman that is lying in state here. This is a heavy one for me as an individual, because the late Preye was more than an in-law to me, she was my friend.

She believed in herself, was a great entrepreneur, and shared her sewing skills with many others.
She exuded love to anybody who came her way, and she touched many lives, including mine. This is indeed a virtuous woman, she used the little opportunity she had to touch lives. And we are grateful”, Governor Diri stated.

The governor was joined by his wife, Gloria, Leader of the House, Rt. Hon. Monday Obolo and other members of the State House of Assembly, Members of the State Executive Council, Local Government Chairmen, Bishop Zilly Agrey and other spiritual fathers, and other top government functionaries.

04/09/2026

Oloibiri Museum In Bayelsa State: FG Targets 2028 Completion as Contractor Assures on Delivery.

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to completing the Oloibiri Museum and Research Centre in Bayelsa State by 2028.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, gave the assurance on Wednesday during an inspection of the ongoing project in Oloibiri, Ogbia Local Government Area of the state.

Oloibiri holds historical significance as the site where commercial oil exploration in Nigeria began in 1956.

Lokpobiri expressed satisfaction with the progress of work, describing the project as a landmark facility that would preserve Nigeria’s petroleum history while promoting tourism and research.

“This is a masterpiece. The main building itself is over 10,000 square metres,” the minister said.

He disclosed that about N70 billion had been paid for the first phase of the project and assured that the Federal Government would continue to provide the necessary funding to prevent delays.
Lokpobiri also pledged to conduct regular inspections of the project and urged the host community to continue supporting the construction.

The Project Director, Architect Ladipo Lewis, said the project had progressed beyond 15 per cent, with major foundation and structural works already completed.

Lewis said the museum would document the history and development of Nigeria’s petroleum industry, while the research centre would provide facilities for documentation, research, training and local content development.

He said the facility was also designed to boost tourism and create economic opportunities for Oloibiri and neighbouring communities.

“This is an opportunity to engage the entire world and put Oloibiri on the map of the world,” Lewis said.

The Project Manager for Julius Berger, Botha de Bruyn, assured that the contractor remained committed to delivering the project according to approved designs, specifications and construction schedules.

The Oloibiri Museum and Research Centre when completed will serve as a national heritage, research and tourism centre dedicated to preserving the history of Nigeria’s petroleum industry. It will contain galleries, archival spaces, laboratories, research facilities, an auditorium, restaurants, shopping facilities and outdoor oil and gas exhibits.

04/09/2026

Dakolo, Traditional Rulers Seek Stronger Public Education in Bayelsa.

The Chairman of the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, His Royal Majesty King Bubaraye Dakolo, Agada IV, has called for sustained efforts by the government to strengthen public education in the state and make government schools more attractive to parents and pupils.

King Dakolo made the call when the management of the government-owned educational development project, "Bayelsa Promoting Reform to Improve and Modernize Education" (Bayelsa PRIME), presented its programme to the Traditional Rulers Council at the council’s secretariat in Yenagoa.

King Dakolo commended the educational initiative of the state government, which is aimed at providing statewide foundational education by accelerating children’s literacy and numeracy skills.

He, however, underscored the need for sustained investment in modern school infrastructure, equipment and other facilities such as this to provide conducive learning environments that meet contemporary standards comparable to those in public schools globally.

The traditional rulers’ council chairman observed that the continued dominance of private schools in the provision of quality educational opportunities indicated that more needed to be done to restore public confidence in the public school system.

While commending the management of Bayelsa PRIME, King Dakolo assured the programme of the full support of traditional institutions across the state.

He also proposed further engagement between Bayelsa PRIME and the Traditional Rulers Council Secretariat to promote more meaningful participation by traditional institutions in the development of education across the state.

Contributing to the discussion, His Royal Majesty King Seiyefa ThankGod Koroye, Pere of Tarakiri Kingdom, welcomed the programme’s use of technology to support teachers and monitor attendance.
He, however, suggested that the digital platform should be expanded to track individual pupils’ attendance and academic performance.

Also speaking, His Royal Majesty King (Capt.) Egbesuwei Gbanraun X, Agadagba Pere of Gbanraun Kingdom, expressed concern over the state of education in rural communities, particularly the shortage of teachers and inadequate science facilities.
He urged Bayelsa PRIME to prioritise underserved communities where many children remain out of school.

Similarly, His Royal Majesty King Wapaebiama David Amakiri, Obeneobhan II, Obanobhan of Emeyal Kingdom, said the programme’s digital monitoring and tracking system, if properly developed, could strengthen oversight of activities in individual schools and classrooms and ultimately improve education delivery.

His Royal Majesty King (Dr.) Collins Boutuah Aranka, Opu-Okun V, Ibedaowei of Opokuma Kingdom, stressed the importance of providing attractive teaching and learning materials, noting that adequate resources and conducive facilities were essential to encouraging pupils to attend public schools.

In his presentation, the Chairman of Bayelsa PRIME, Barrister Warmate Jones, said the programme was introduced in 2023 following an education summit held in 2022 to address challenges including poor teacher attendance and weak learning outcomes.
According to him, the programme combines technology-enabled lesson delivery with teacher training and monitoring. He added that assessments in English and Mathematics had shown improved performance among pupils in participating schools.

Barrister Jones disclosed that the programme, which was initially piloted in four Local Government Areas, had been approved for expansion to Ekeremor, Southern Ijaw, Nembe and Brass Local Government Areas.
He said teachers and head teachers in the four areas were expected to undergo training between September and October.

The Bayelsa PRIME chairman appealed to traditional rulers to use their influence within their communities to encourage teachers and other stakeholders to embrace the programme.

He also disclosed that the programme’s results had undergone third-party evaluation, adding that more than 120,000 books and other learning materials were supplied annually to participating schools.

The meeting was attended by traditional rulers from various kingdoms across the state, as well as the Manager, Policy and Partnership of Bayelsa PRIME, Joshua Awudum, and its IT Associate, Musa Auta.

04/09/2026

BAYELSA MOVES TO STRENGTHEN PUBLIC HEALTH LAWS, BOOST DISEASE OUTBREAK RESPONSE.

The Bayelsa State Government has commenced the move to strengthen the State’s public health laws as part of efforts to enhance disease prevention, preparedness and response to future public health emergencies.

The Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Bayelsa State, Mr. Biriyai Dambo, SAN, disclosed this when he received a delegation from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) on an advocacy visit to his office in Yenagoa.

Mr. Dambo, SAN, said the Governor Douye Diri-led administration had put in place mechanisms aimed at ensuring that the healthcare needs of Bayelsans were adequately addressed.

He explained that the Bayelsa State Ministry of Justice, in keeping with its mandate to strengthen the State’s legal framework, would collaborate with relevant sister ministries, particularly the Ministries of Health and Environment, to develop a comprehensive public health law in line with the requirements of the International Health Regulations (2005), to which Nigeria is a signatory.

He expressed the Ministry’s readiness to work closely with the NCDC towards establishing a robust and effective legal framework for public health in Bayelsa State.

He assured that Governor Douye Diri remained committed to prioritising the health and well-being of Bayelsans and would continue to support measures aimed at strengthening public health institutions and ensuring that the State’s legal framework was responsive to emerging health challenges.

Spesking earlier, the Legal Adviser to the NCDC, Safiya Musa, Esq., explained that the delegation was in Bayelsa State pursuant to the mandate of the International Health Regulations (2005), the global legal framework that guides countries in preventing, preparing for and responding to public health emergencies of international concern.

She said the NCDC was mandated to engage with States across the country to build their capacity for effective preparedness and response to disease outbreaks.

She added that a sound legal framework was fundamental to building an effective public health emergency response system, stressing that when the next public health emergency occurs, institutions must have clear legal authority to take decisive action without uncertainty.

Musa disclosed that the delegation was in the State to undertake a comprehensive, multi-sectoral assessment of existing laws across the human health, animal health and environmental sectors.

She explained that the International Health Regulations had established a scoring mechanism to assess the level of preparedness of jurisdictions for disease outbreaks and identify areas requiring further strengthening.

According to her, Bayelsa State currently has a score of one, indicating that relevant laws are in place, while the NCDC is working with the State to advance it to score two through a comprehensive multi-sectoral legal assessment based on criteria developed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

She said the assessment would enable the State to identify existing gaps and determine the legislative and institutional measures required to improve its preparedness and response capacity.

Musa further disclosed that the NCDC would collaborate with the Bayelsa State Ministry of Justice to develop a new public health law capable of addressing identified gaps and strengthening coordination during disease outbreaks.

She noted that the proposed legislation would include a dedicated provision for emergency financing, describing sustainable financing mechanisms as one of the major challenges to health security at the sub-national level.

The NCDC Legal Adviser therefore called for the institutionalisation of emergency financing mechanisms to ensure that adequate resources were readily available when public health emergencies arise.

She commended the Bayelsa State Government for its proactive approach to healthcare and emergency financing, as well as for having legislation covering the human, animal and environmental sectors.

Musa also acknowledged the commitment of the Governor Douye Diri-led administration to improving the health and well-being of Bayelsans, noting that the State’s existing efforts provided a strong foundation for further strengthening its health security architecture.

She called on the Ministry of Justice to establish a multi-sectoral Technical Working Group comprising legal practitioners and relevant stakeholders across the human, animal and environmental health sectors.

She also recommended the convening of a comprehensive meeting to assess the State’s existing public health laws and identify areas requiring review, harmonisation or new legislation.

In his remarks, a Deputy Director at the NCDC, Dr. Abiodun Ogunniyi, expressed optimism that the assessment would help identify and close existing gaps, adding that the recommendations arising from the exercise would support Bayelsa State in improving its preparedness and advancing its matrix score.

Dr. Ogunniyi observed that the global health landscape was constantly evolving, with emerging and re-emerging public health threats requiring responsive legislation and institutional mechanisms to prevent avoidable deaths and strengthen emergency response.

He stressed the need for legislative processes to keep pace with emerging public health challenges and ensure that relevant institutions were adequately empowered to respond effectively to health emergencies.

Also present at the meeting were the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Iyibosa Apulu, Esq.; the Head of the Legal Drafting Department, Mrs. Ngozi Ayafa, Esq.; Assistant Director, NCDC, Helen Daniel Fwanshishak; and other officials.

04/09/2026

Diri Receives Another Prestigious Award On Sports Development.

The Bayelsa Stare Governor, His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, was among some distinguished honorees at the 2026 edition of the Nigerian Universal Keystone Sports Awards (NUKSA) in London.

Governor Diri was represented at the NUKSA Awards Gala Night held at the Ham Polo Club in Richmond by the Commissioner for Sports, Mr Daniel Igali, and his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah.

While receiving the Award on behalf of the state Governor, Mr Igali described the recognition from outside Nigeria as an “enormous honour” and a special endorsement of his administration’s achievements in the sector.

He said despite being one of the least populated states in Nigeria, Bayelsa had in the last six years recorded remarkable strides in sports.

He noted that the state was now consistently among the top three best performers in sports in the country and was preparing to host the National Sports Festival in 2028, with construction of world class sporting facilities ongoing.

“Let me express His Excellency’s sincere apologies for not being able to attend in person. The Chief Press Secretary and I are here to represent him.

“On behalf of His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, we thank the NUKSA organisers for this enormous honour.

“As you may know, Bayelsa is one of the smallest states in the country in terms of population. But in six years that Senator Diri has been governor, we have become one of the top three states in terms of sports in Nigeria. We are hosting the National Sports Festival in two years and are currently building a couple of stadia at the same time.

“Our goal is to bequeath to future generations facilities that when we leave office, in another 10 to 20 years, sports will continue to thrive in Bayelsa. Thank you very much.”

In his welcome remarks, Director of the 2026 NUKSA Awards, Mr. David Doherty, expressed appreciation to the Bayelsa governor for accepting the award and sending a delegation to represent.

He said the organisation counted it as a great honour to identify with Governor Diri, particularly for virtually breaking the glass ceiling to turn around the narrative about Bayelsa in sports and infrastructure development.

Doherty described Diri as a passionate sports enthusiast and one of Nigeria’s outstanding leaders.

He said: “It is a great honour to welcome you to the Nigerian UK Sports Award Gala. Tonight, we are celebrating much more than medals, trophies, and sporting achievements. We are celebrating determination, discipline, community, and the remarkable talents within the Nigerian community here in the UK and beyond.

“Sports has a special way of bringing people together, whether we are on the pitch, in the stands, or at home shouting advice at the television as though the manager can hear us. We are all part of the same team.

“Our mission is to recognise excellence, create opportunities, and inspire the next generation of athletes. On behalf of the committee, I like to express my sincere gratitude to our sponsors, partners, volunteers, and everyone who has contributed to making this wonderful evening possible.”

Other awardees included the Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, his wife, Prof. Olufolake AbdulRazaq, Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, wife of former Nigerian President, Dr. AyimaLott-Jonathan as well as chairman of Delta State Sports Commission, Mr. Onoriode Oborevwori, and Chelsea’s new young sensation, Chizzy Ezenwata, who received the Emerging Talent award among other recipients.

04/09/2026

STAKEHOLDERS MEET TO RESOLVE ELECTRICITY SUPPLE ISSUES IN 1ST BYERA ELECTRICITY SERVICE CLINIC

Effective collaboration among stakeholders in the power sector have been identified as a veritable factor for effective power supply to the consumer in Bayelsa State.
This was the decision taken at a electricity stakeholders meeting recently held in in Yenagoa the Bayelsa State Capital.

The stakeholders in the value chain, including consumers, community representatives, electricity professionals, electricity service providers, and the regulator shared ideas on improving electricity service delivery in Bayelsa State.

The event which was the first BYERA Electricity Service Clinic, gave participants the opportunity to present their complaints, seek solutions, address challenges affecting electricity supply, information exchange, amongst others.

The event, held at the DSP Alamieyeseigha Banquet Hall, Ovom, Yenagoa, on Thursday, September 3, 2006, with the theme: 'Working Together to Make Reliable Electricity a Reality in Bayelsa State'.

Delivering the opening remarks, the Board Chairman of BYERA, Barr Austin Adigio, said reliable power is the engine for jobs, health care, education, and small-scale businesses that drive our economy.

Barr Adigio maintained that as long as the light stays on, Bayelsa prospers, making possible the realisation of the vision of our dear Governor, who christened his Administration as the Government of Prosperity.

The BYERA Chairman called on all participants, especially electricity consumers, to be open-minded to be able to get solutions/answers to their electricity issues.

Also speaking, Dr Rosalyn Dressman outlined the responsibilities of electricity generators, distributors, consumers, and the regulator, and called on consumers to exercise restraint in dealing with electricity components as they are restricted to electricity facilities only within the home.

The place/role of the electricity customer was also identified as indispensable in the electricity value chain by the resource persons at the clinic, hence, they emphasised that meaningful engagement is essential to improving efficient service delivery to the customer.

Participants gained knowledge significantly as electricity concepts such as network performance, feeder upgrade/availability, band systems, energy capping, metering, billing system, tariff, etc were broken down to the layman's understanding by the resource persons at the clinic.

There was an interactive session where panelists responded to customers' questions .

Resource Personalities at the event included Engr Nosakhare Okoro, GM BYEDC; Engr Obinna Okeke, Chief Strategy Officer, PHED; Mr Bonsomeh Sorgwe, Head, Metering, PHED; Mrs Adanma Ugwuegbu, Head, Customer Service, PHED; Dr Cameron Waigha, Head, Market, Competition and Rates, BYERA.

04/09/2026

03/09/2026

Bayelsa Govt Directs Suspension of School Fees Increase at NDU

The Bayelsa State Government has directed the immediate suspension of the implementation of the alleged new school fees policy at the state-owned Niger Delta University (NDU), Wilberforce Island, Amassoma.

The State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Gentle Emelah, disclosed this in a statement, noting that the directive was aimed at maintaining peace and ensuring the uninterrupted continuation of academic activities within the university.

Dr. Emelah advised the management and students of the institution to continue with their usual academic activities, while maintaining law and order and avoiding actions capable of causing rancour, tension or chaos on and around the campus.

He urged all concerned to remain calm and ensure that the peaceful academic environment of the university is sustained.

03/09/2026

Diri Receives 25 year old Bayelsa-born Pilot
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The Bayelsa State ‎Governor, His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri on Thursday the 3rd of September, 2026 received Bayelsa-born licenced Pilot, Mr Dominion Oyeindenyefa Apreala at the Samson Siasia stadium in Yenagoa.
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‎While Congratulating Mr Apreala on the feat achieved, Governor Diri encouraged other young Bayelsans to be hardworking in order to get to greater heights in their chosen careers.
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‎The Governor while also noting some measures of support from the government to the young pilot, appreciated his parents for their efforts in training their son, insisting that the Government of Assured Prosperity will continue to support the youth of the state.
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‎A native of Amassoma in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, the young Mr Dominion Oyeindenyefa Apreala graduated from the International Aviation College in Ilorin, Kwara State.
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