"I am disappointed", Diri says amid delays in Bayelsa's independent power project

Ogbia, Bayelsa – The Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has urged residents to remain patient and understanding following widespread disappointment over the failure to complete the state's Independent Power Project (IPP) by the promised December 2025 deadline.

During an on-site inspection of the gas turbine facility at Elebele in Ogbia Local Government Area on December 31, 2025, Governor Diri acknowledged the public's frustration, stating that he shared their disappointment.

"I am as disappointed as any other Bayelsan because I believed that we were going to celebrate the 2025 Christmas with our own independent power, but it turned out not to be so," the governor said

He attributed the delay to unforeseen technical and logistical challenges, emphasizing the complexity of the project.

"These technical experts are working virtually 24 hours, but delays like this will certainly come," Diri noted, while cautioning that a minor error could jeopardize the millions of dollars already invested.

The governor praised the efforts of the technical partners, Jampur Group, and the Managing Director of the Bayelsa Electricity Company Limited, Engr. Olice Kemenanabo, assuring residents that alignment of the system, including the gas generator and alternator, is progressing well.

Diri hinted at a potential new timeline, suggesting the project could be inaugurated during the administration's sixth anniversary celebrations in February 2026.

The IPP, featuring eight 60MW gas turbines (with six already on site as of October 2025), was intended to provide uninterrupted 24-hour electricity supply to Yenagoa and surrounding areas, reducing reliance on the national grid.

DAILY South Nigeria understands that earlier in 2025, the governor had confidently set a December completion target, raising high expectations among Bayelsans long plagued by power outages.

While no official new completion date has been announced as of early January 2026, the governor called for an "open mind" from residents, likening impatience to the "proverbial tortoise" that complains only when freedom is near.

The project remains a flagship initiative of the Diri administration, aimed at boosting economic activity and industrialization in the oil-rich state.