The Bayelsa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised Governor Douye Diri’s administration over what it described as the unacceptable level of hunger and poverty in the state despite rising oil-derived revenues and increased federal allocations.
The opposition party urged the governor to make tackling economic hardship the administration’s foremost priority in the second half of 2026, arguing that many residents were struggling to afford basic necessities even as the state’s earnings from crude oil continued to grow.
In a statement issued on Friday by its Publicity Secretary, Ikaebimo Mark, the PDP said the soaring cost of living and declining purchasing power had worsened the plight of Bayelsans, raising questions about the impact of government spending on citizens’ welfare.
According to the party, hunger and poverty transcend political, religious and ethnic affiliations and should command the immediate attention of any responsible government.
The PDP also expressed concern that several memoranda of understanding announced by the Diri administration had yet to attract investments capable of creating jobs, stimulating industrial growth and expanding economic opportunities.
It urged the government to adopt people-centred policies by supporting small and medium-scale enterprises, empowering youths and women, and implementing programmes that would boost productivity and improve living standards.
“The time has come for the administration to refocus its policies and programmes to become genuinely people-centred,” the statement said.
The party maintained that it was prepared to support every sincere effort aimed at addressing the prevailing hardship in the state by offering constructive policy ideas and practical solutions.
It further called on the government to strengthen institutions, invest in labour-intensive industries, expand skills acquisition and capacity-building initiatives, and develop a comprehensive wealth creation and employment generation strategy capable of restoring economic confidence.
Responding, the Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Mrs. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, dismissed the opposition’s claims as misleading.
She said the Diri administration had, over the past six years, made significant investments in infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture and youth empowerment, insisting that the government’s development efforts were yielding positive results across the state.