The people of Okpoama community in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have resolved not to support any political move of their son, Chief Timipre Sylva, current Minister of State, Petroleum Resources for failing to attract any meaningful development to the Kingdom.
The people have wholeheartedly also rejected his failed party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) for not adding any value to the community in almost 4 years of the ministerial position.
Sources in the community who expressed the deep concerns of Okpoama people said the political rise of Sylva from 2007 as Governor of the State and now as minister remained the darkest period for the community where their hopes and expectations have been dashed as the community could not boast of any progress.
The people of Brass also considered the much publicised 2020 Brass Fertilizer and Atlantic Modular Refinery projects situated in Brass Island as a “scam”,” Go to the site of the projects, what you see will disappoint you. The people have lost confidence in him and his “dollar” spraying show off during elections”
“We do not belong to APC. Though our son always lobby us since he joined that party. Regrettably, the community has nothing to show. When he was governor, he established a College of Education here but never developed it. That school could have created a number of jobs to our people. Since there was nothing on the ground, it was easier for the new government at the time to move it to Sagbama”, the source said.
The source continued: “We are by the sea, where the blue economy should interest our son. There is no investment. He was quoted to have said that the Nembe-Brass road was not economically viable and so, never wanted to construct it. We must commend the current Governor, Douye Diri, for taking up the gauntlet to start the project. The area is oil producing and how can our people remain poor. We had expectations from both the Brass NLNG and Brass fertilizers, but our hopes have been dashed because our son failed to make the project see light of the day.”
The source said it was rather too late for Sylva to make any amend because the people of Okpoama are speaking loudly that they have had enough and that they have long rejected his future political overtures.
“Sylva has acted as if he had a grouse to settle with the Okpoama people. There is no deliberate effort to improve situation of living in that community. As a governor for 5 years and now a Minister in such a choice Ministry, his people have not felt his impact.”
” This time around he cannot fool us. We shall wait to teach him a lesson in the next round of election. He certainly has not done well for Okpoama. He lost in his unit with a vote before and now he will loose the Brass Local Government council”, the source lamented.
