Bayelsa Resolves Lingering Inter-Agency Feud Among Revenue-Generating MDAs

The Bayelsa State Government has resolved the lingering operational dispute among revenue-generating Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) operating in Yenagoa, the state capital.

The resolution followed a meeting between the affected MDAs and the Deputy Governor, Dr Peter Akpe, at the Government House, Yenagoa, on Tuesday.

The meeting came shortly after the formal submission of the report of the Committee on Resolution of Conflicting Functions of Environmental Health Officers in the Yenagoa Capital City, headed by Mr Ikobho Howells.

Speaking after receiving the report, Akpe said the adoption of its recommendations had finally addressed the protracted operational conflict involving the State Environmental Sanitation Authority, the Ministries of Health and Environment, and the Yenagoa Local Government Council.

He disclosed that Yenagoa had been divided into four operational zones, with each of the affected MDAs assigned specific areas of responsibility to prevent further clashes over revenue collection.

The Deputy Governor urged the agencies to see themselves as one government working for the interest of Bayelsa State and charged them to meet their internally generated revenue (IGR) targets within their respective areas of operation.

Under the new arrangement, Zone A, comprising Amarata, Onopa, Yenagoa, Ovom, Azikoro, Agbura, Swali and Famgbe, has been assigned to the Bayelsa State Ministry of Health.

Zone B, covering Ekeki, Okaka, Yenizue-Epie, Kpansia, Anyama Ijaw, Igeibiri and Obogoro, has been allocated to the Ministry of Environment.

Zone C, comprising Yenizuegene, Biogbolo, Opolo, Okutukutu, Etegwe, Imiringi and Emeyal, has been assigned to the Yenagoa Local Government Council.

Zone D, covering Edepie, Akenpai, Agudama-Epie, Akenfa, Yenegwe, Igbogene, Okolobiri, Obunugha, Tombia and Amassoma, has been exclusively assigned to the Bayelsa State Environmental Sanitation Authority.

As part of the operational framework, officials of the respective agencies will also wear colour-coded hand bands for easy identification in the field.

Yenagoa Local Government Council officials will wear brown, Environmental Sanitation Authority operatives will wear blue, while officials of the Ministries of Health and Environment will wear yellow and green hand bands respectively.

Responding on behalf of the affected institutions, the Chairman of Yenagoa Local Government Council, Mr Bulodisiye Ndiwari, commended the state government for intervening in the dispute.

He expressed satisfaction with the new operational arrangement, describing it as a practical step towards ending the disagreements among the four government institutions.

Speaking with journalists after the meeting, the Head of Service, Dr Wisdom Ebiye-Sawyer, disclosed that the MDAs had been embroiled in an operational stand-off for more than four years before the state government’s intervention.

He thanked the government for taking decisive steps to resolve the matter, expressing optimism that the clearly defined areas of operation would enable the agencies to concentrate on their IGR responsibilities without the recurring disputes in the field.

He said the new arrangement would promote efficiency, accountability and better coordination among the revenue-generating agencies while strengthening the state’s revenue base.