From Seyi Tayese, Yenagoa
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bayelsa State, has on Wednesday expressed concern over the reported 15 percent performance of the 2026 budget, describing it as a troubling reflection of poor budget implementation and a failure to translate public resources into meaningful benefits for citizens.
The poor implementation is further reflected in the harsh economic realities confronting households across the state. For many Bayelsans, the 2026 budget has yet to translate into improved living conditions, as a significant proportion of residents continue to grapple with multidimensional poverty, rising living costs, unemployment and limited access to essential services. A budget’s true measure is not the amount appropriated, but the positive difference it makes in the lives of the people.
In a statement signed by Hon. Ikaebimo Mark State Publicity Secretary PDP, Bayelsa State and made available to our correspondent via email, the Party also questions the realism of Governor Douye Diri’s proposed N1.24 trillion 2027 budget, particularly when the government has yet to demonstrate satisfactory implementation of its current fiscal commitments.
Beyond its impressive headline figure, the proposed budget offers insufficient clarity on practical interventions to tackle poverty, hunger and unemployment. Bayelsans need more than huge budget figures; they need reliable electricity, functional healthcare, affordable education, food security, job opportunities and an enabling environment for businesses and industries.
The PDP insists that budgetary promises must be matched by transparency, credible implementation and measurable improvements in the lives of ordinary Bayelsans. The government must explain how this proposal will deliver these urgent priorities.
The PDP also calls on the Bayelsa State House of Assembly to subject the proposed 2027 budget to rigorous, independent and transparent scrutiny, rather than treating it as a document for automatic approval. Lawmakers must discharge their constitutional responsibility by interrogating the assumptions, examining the allocations and demanding clear implementation targets that address the pressing needs of Bayelsans.
