Former President Goodluck Jonathan has criticised successive Bayelsa State administrations for neglecting key developmental projects initiated during his tenure as governor.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Best Western Plus Hotel in Yenagoa on Wednesday, Jonathan lamented that several projects he started to boost tourism and investment in the state were abandoned after he left office in 2007 to become Vice President.
“When a governor leaves office, the next governor doesn’t want to follow up, and most of the money spent goes to waste,” Jonathan stated.
He explained that his administration had heavily invested in the hospitality sector to make Yenagoa more attractive to visitors, particularly during the era when Bayelsa hosted the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA).
“During the first AMAA event, most of the international guests stayed in Port Harcourt because Bayelsa had no suitable hotels. So we supported local hoteliers with loans of N10 million to N15 million to upgrade their facilities. Unfortunately, after I left office, nobody refunded the money, and the initiative died,” he said.
Jonathan further disclosed that contracts were awarded for the construction of three major hotels — including the Tower Hotel and two three-star facilities — but none were completed.
“If those three hotels had been completed, visitors coming to Bayelsa today would have had comfortable places to stay. But somehow, when I left, the people I mobilised didn’t deliver,” he lamented.
The former president commended the management of Best Western Plus for their investment in Bayelsa’s hospitality industry, describing the hotel’s opening as the realisation of a vision he once had for the state’s tourism sector.
Governor Douye Diri, in his remarks, hailed the hotel’s founder, Dr. Harcourt Adukeh, for his vision and commitment to Bayelsa’s economic development.
Diri noted that the project would stimulate job creation, boost local investment, and enhance the state’s hospitality landscape. He urged Bayelsans to emulate Adukeh by investing in the state’s growth and sustainability.
Also speaking, the hotel’s Executive Director, Mrs. Initeme Aduke-Eromhonsele, alongside Dr. Adukeh, highlighted the facility’s world-class amenities, elegant architecture, and serene view of the Oxbow Lake.
The launch of the Best Western Plus Hotel, an affiliate of the globally recognised Best Western brand, signals a new era for Yenagoa’s tourism and hospitality sector — positioning Bayelsa as a rising destination for business, leisure, and premium travel in the Niger Delta.
— Hobnob News
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