The Bayelsa State government has intervened in the dispute between the Akenfa community, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited (RAECL) over the non-completion of a link bridge project. Deputy Governor Dr. Peter Akpe met with the leadership of the Akenfa community at Government House in Yenagoa, where he urged them to seek peaceful means of addressing their grievances.
The Akenfa community had been protesting against RAECL due to the non-completion of the link bridge project, which was started in 2010. The community had set up a blockade at an oil facility, prompting the deputy governor to intervene. Akpe blamed the tripartite committee set up by his predecessor for not carrying out its assignment and assured the community that he would work with stakeholders to ensure the project's completion.
Akpe also assured the community that he would personally reach out to the management of the NDDC to ascertain the status of the project, which was officially handed over to the agency by the state government in 2025. He emphasized that embarking on demonstrations and creating blockades is not the best option to elicit government attention, instead advocating for dialogue as the best means of seeking concrete resolution.
Commissioner for Information, Strategy and Orientation, Mrs. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, recalled a meeting held on December 4, 2025, where the government informed the Akenfa community of the official handover of the project to the NDDC. A steering committee was constituted, comprising representatives from the Akenfa community, NDDC, and government, to ensure the resumption of work on the project.
The paramount ruler of Akenfa, Chief Josiah Osom Obadiah, and stakeholder Mr. Wilson Mumeya attributed the latest protest to the suffering caused by the project's abandonment. They expressed gratitude to the deputy governor for his timely intervention, which they noted had given the community hope. The project was initially agreed upon between the NDDC and RAECL.
The deputy governor's intervention has provided a glimmer of hope for the Akenfa community, who have been suffering due to the non-completion of the link bridge project. The Bayelsa State government's efforts to mediate between the parties involved aim to bring an end to the dispute and ensure the project's completion.
Key points
- The Bayelsa State government has intervened in the dispute between the Akenfa community, NDDC, and RAECL over the non-completion of a link bridge project.
- Deputy Governor Dr. Peter Akpe has urged the Akenfa community to seek peaceful means of addressing their grievances.
- A steering committee has been constituted to ensure the resumption of work on the project, comprising representatives from the Akenfa community, NDDC, and government.
