Introduction

Bayelsa State, like many other states in Nigeria, is yet to realize its full potential. This is due in part to lack of a strategic plan of development. To date programmes for development have been largely uncoordinated and hence opportunities have not been leveraged to the best extent possible.
The Governor of Bayelsa State, His Excellency Timipre Sylva, after assuming office in May 2007, has taken the decision to review the existing plans for the development of Bayelsa State with a view to producing a strategic development plan that will

* Identify all current development projects in Bayelsa State,
* Co-ordinate the management and implementation of such projects and
* Report implementation progress

The promotion of several “priority projects” will encourage the immediate stimulation of the Bayelsa economy. The Bayelsa State Government has taken the initiative to co-ordinate all development projects in the state through the Bayelsa State Sustainable Development Strategy (BYSSDS). The oil companies and international development agencies including the World Bank, UNDP, USAID and DFID will integrate their community development projects through the BYSSDS. The NDDC will harmonise its development projects with the BYSSDS.

The Bayelsa State Government is seeking to attract international investment and make Bayelsa State a vibrant social and economic community. Projects are being identified and initiated both as quick start and mid to long term projects. The quick start projects will instil confidence and provide a basis for immediate engagement of the community stakeholders. This “quick start” strategy will clearly signal the serious intent of the Bayelsa Government to turn around the investment climate and reduce the perception of Bayelsa as a high risk investment location. Governor Sylva has embarked on a campaign to personally engage with international business executives to win their support for investment in Bayelsa State.

The state sustainable development framework is essential in the identification and deployment of projects to kick-start the development of Bayelsa State and turn around the negative investment climate. Without such a framework there is a significant danger that identified projects could simply be a bundle of community projects that will have an initial positive impact but that value could diminish rapidly turning the investment climate sour. This is very much the situation that has played out many times in the past. To guard against a negative outcome projects must be tied into the state sustainable development strategy and therein a state sustainable development framework must be drafted as a priority.

This document outlines the concept of sustainable development and the Bayelsa State Sustainable Development Strategy (BYSSDS) which employs that concept in constructing an integrated and comprehensive framework to embed sustainable development in all aspects government and development in Bayelsa State.
Why Sustainable Development for Bayelsa State?

Sustainable Development is defined here as ‘meeting the needs of current and future generations through the integration of environmental protection, social advancement and economic prosperity strategies’1 2. Sustainability principles are widely accepted as a powerful way to envision the future and to move forward.

The concept is a challenge to do things differently, and to look for opportunities to improve the environment, society and economy at the same time, rather than accepting trade-offs between them3.
Sustainable development has multiple objectives. In planning for development, there must be deliberate consideration of how to maintain the quality of the environment, human well-being, and economic security.
Needs Statement

Bayelsa State has an outstanding wealth of natural resources; in particular oil and gas, yet severe environmental, social and economic problems and pressures persist. If left unattended, these will only continue to proliferate with the risk of significantly hampering the potential development of Bayelsa State.

Environmental issues such as soil degradation, oil spills and flooding need to be addressed.  Agriculture has historically formed a large part of Bayelsa State economic activities. As oil and gas resources have been developed, agricultural activity and production has dwindled with the state now facing the risk of being over-dependent on oil and gas industry.

Clearly, agriculture including fisheries, requires revitalisation in order to diversify the Bayelsa State economy, reduce the social and economic risk due to over-reliance on oil and gas, and arrest the drift of population to Yenagoa which, if it continues to escalate at the current rate, will make it impossible to build and maintain a reasonable and functional level of infrastructure to support the population.

Socially, amenities are grossly inadequate. A high level of poverty is evident alongside poor health and a high child mortality rate.  High levels of unemployment, particularly among youths, contribute to unrest, agitations and conflicts.
Moreover, the exploration and exploitation of oil involves a number of activities that directly affects the lives of the oil-producing communities. This impact is not only limited to the physical environment with its sensitive and fragile ecosystem, but also the social and spiritual life of the communities. It affects for instance, their relationship with the land as farmers, the swamps and creeks as fishermen.

While previous plans and projects may have been implemented in an effort to overcome these problems, there is a clear need for a strategy that integrates solutions comprehensively with the skills and resources needed to tackle impediments to Bayelsa State development in a way that is sustainable.

Bayelsa State has sufficient potential to meet the socio-economic and human development objectives set out in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and national strategies if given proper policy and good governance combined with effective private sector and civil society participation.
Objectives of the State Sustainable Development Strategy

The transition to a sustainable future is a long-term agenda that requires rethinking the way we live, use resources, govern and do business3. The sustainable strategy has the following aims:

* To challenge the state to consider new ideas and to be innovative about the opportunities that are presented
* To instigate Bayelsa State’s journey to sustainability as the actions contained within the strategy are implemented over the next 4 – 8 year period
* It proposes new principles, approaches and actions to help Bayelsa State achieve an economically, socially and financially sustainable future.
* To ensure that the most appropriate interventions are made, and that these interventions optimise the existing resources and involvement of interest groups
* To ensure that key development issues in Bayelsa State are addressed, whilst remaining within the context of a national development framework.



1. The definition of Sustainable Development is widely disputed, and definitions vary depending on the context of its application. However, this definition will be used for the purpose of this project.

2. State Government of Western Australia (2003) Hope for the future: the Western Australian state sustainability strategy, Department of the Premier and Cabinet, Perth

3. Western Australian State Sustainability Strategy, 2000

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