…says rising hardship has overshadowed government’s ‘Prosperity Agenda’

By Emem Idio, Yenagoa

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State has urged Governor Douye Diri to make the fight against hunger, poverty and worsening economic hardship the central focus of his administration in the second half of 2026.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by its State Publicity Secretary, Ikaebimo Mark, the party said the rising cost of living and declining purchasing power have left many Bayelsans struggling to meet their daily needs despite increased revenues accruing to the state.

According to the PDP, improvements in derivation receipts and federal allocations have not translated into better living conditions for the people, as hunger, unemployment and economic hardship continue to deepen across communities.

“The welfare of the people must remain the first responsibility of any government,” the party said, stressing that hunger affects everyone regardless of political affiliation, ethnicity, religion or social status.

The PDP called on the Diri administration to implement policies that directly improve livelihoods by creating jobs, stimulating economic activities, supporting small and medium-scale enterprises, empowering youths and women, and expanding opportunities for sustainable income generation.

The opposition party also expressed concern over the number of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) announced by the state government in recent years, noting that many of the promised partnerships are yet to produce visible investments capable of driving industrialisation, creating employment and boosting the state’s economy.

It maintained that government must move beyond signing agreements and ensure such partnerships deliver measurable benefits for Bayelsans.

He said: “While the present administration came into office on the promise of a Prosperity Agenda, the prevailing realities of widespread hardship, unemployment, and economic distress have left many Bayelsans feeling that the agenda has, in practice, become one of hunger and poverty.

“We therefore calls on the State Government to immediately develop strong and effective institutions, invest in industries with high employment potential, pursue aggressive skills acquisition and capacity-building programmes for youths and women, and urgently articulate a deliberate wealth creation and employment generation blueprint capable of restoring economic confidence.

“The time has come for the administration to refocus its policies and programmes to become genuinely people-centred.

“As a responsible opposition party, to support every genuine effort aimed at addressing the current hardship, hunger, and poverty confronting Bayelsans. The PDP is willing to contribute a robust and constructive policy ideas and practical solutions in the overriding interest of the state. However, it is becoming increasingly evident that the present APC administration has struggled to provide the innovative and people-driven policy direction required to effectively confront the state’s growing socio-economic challenges.

“As Bayelsans begin the second half of the year, we warmly felicitates with its members and the good people of the state, urging them not to lose hope but to remain steadfast in the belief that better days lie ahead.”