Toru–Ebeni Road Project: Stakeholders Dismiss Claims Against Senator Dickson

Disregard Recycled Propaganda on Senator Dickson and the Toru–Ebeni Road Project.

April 26, 2026.

The attention of concerned stakeholders and community leaders has been drawn to the recycled propaganda and fake news being circulated against Senator Henry Seriake Dickson regarding the Toru–Ebeni Road project.

A team of concerned journalists and public observers has conducted research on the matter and confirms that the Toru-Orua, Bolou-Orua, Kabiama, and Ebeni Road project was conceived, designed, and awarded in 2017 under the administration of His Excellency, Governor Henry Seriake Dickson.

The strategic objective of this 27-kilometer road was to provide an alternative access route for communities in Ekeremor and parts of Sagbama to Yenagoa without reliance on the East-West Road.

The initiative complemented the administration’s achievement in constructing the Amassoma–Ebeni Bridge the longest state bridge at the time which was commissioned in 2015 by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Following the award of the contract to HNG Limited, substantial progress was recorded. This included complete clearing, topsoil removal up to Ebeni, as well as ongoing sand filling and dredging works.

However, the pace of work slowed toward the end of the administration in February 2020 due to the harsh economic recession at the time.

Three years later, in 2023, Governor Douye Diri revalidated the project at the sum of ₦77 billion and remobilized contractors to the site.

Contrary to the fake news being circulated, investigations reveal that only about ₦5 billion has been paid out of the total contract sum, leaving a significant outstanding balance owed to the contractors.

Despite this financial constraint, the contractors have remained on site and continued work.
Unfortunately, they have faced undue hostility, discouragement, and orchestrated propaganda from certain political actors including individuals within government and politicians from the affected area who, instead of using their influence to advocate for accelerated funding, have resorted to inciting communities and distorting facts about the project and its origin.

The misleading video currently circulating on social media is part of this ongoing campaign of misinformation. It has already been scrutinized and found to be baseless, a fact well known to the affected communities and all decerning members of the public. A government that awards a contract does not mean that the governor is the contractor.

It is important to remind the public that Bayelsans and Nigerians are well aware of the enduring legacies of Senator Henry Seriake Dickson.

Despite facing economic recession for six out of his eight years in office, his administration initiated and executed landmark projects in all sectors.

Senator Dickson’s impact as governor is so profound that almost a decade after leaving office, all major policies, laws and projects of his government in education, healthcare, security, infrastructure, agriculture, Ijaw nationalism and culture, political management, youth and women empowerment and elders management, party administration, public service reforms among others are still landmark terms of reference in Bayelsa State and will be for a long time, nothing can be said on any sector without Dickson’s signature.

On infrastructure, Senator Dickson remains widely recognized as the architect of Bayelsa State’s infrastructural revolution, undeterred even by the crippling economic meltdown in the country, having laid the foundation for the three senatorial district roads and several other critical projects that the people of the state enjoy and others that present administration continues to build upon.

These projects include the construction of the eight-bridge stretch from Tombia to Amassoma; the construction of the Yenagoa–Oporoma Road, which the current administration continued, completed and commissioned the Oporoma bridge recently; it is very clear that, if governor Dickson had not done the Yenagoa Oporoma road, the construction of the Oporoma bridge wouldn’t have been possible now.

Governor Dickson also constructed the Sagbama- Ekeremor Road, which has been in use since 2015 and which the current administration put finishing touches to.

Other notable achievements include the establishment of the Bayelsa International Airport, the establishment of the new Yenagoa City, launched by President Goodluck Jonathan and General Abdusalam Abubakar, the construction of modern governor’s office and all major public office buildings and Secretariat in government house, Yenagoa and ministeries, major dualised roads within Yenagoa, the Boro Town Road, governor Dickson also gave #3 billion support for the completion of the Nembe – Brass road despite it being a SPDC/NDDC project among numerous other projects.

No amount of malicious defamation, falsehood, or politically motivated propaganda will deter the people of Bayelsa West, the wider Bayelsa State, and Nigerians at large from standing firmly behind Senator Dickson, whose record of service continues to earn him recognition as a leader, father figure, and symbol of development and probity in public service.

Senator Dickson has never been a business man or contractor in all his life. He lives his quiet and simple principled life with very high standards appreciated by all.

A visit to the site on Thursday and Friday revealed that the contractors are still in the forest working in the difficult terrain while expecting payments from the government.

The public is therefore urged to disregard the fake news circulating on social media concerning the Ebeni Road project that is peddled by misinformed, ignorant and low- levelled paid persons.

Signed:
Gabriel Ukuta
Coordinator, Ofuruma-Pepe Media