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Tag: Bayelsa State Government

  • Bayelsa closes Opolo-Elebele road for dualisation

    Bayelsa closes Opolo-Elebele road for dualisation

    Bayelsa State government has sought the cooperation of motorists, commuters and residents alike on the proposed closure of Opolo/Elebele road in Yenagoa, the state capital, from September 9 (Monday).

    Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Moses Teibowei, made this known in a statement.

    The Commissioner said the dualisation of the the major road, which would begin from the Opolo market area had started and part of the road would be closed to traffic from Monday.

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    He said the closure would enable the contractors, Julius Berger, to carry out the expansion/dualisation of that section of the road.

    Teibowei said the area to be closed is from the roundabout on Isaac Boro Road towards Opolo market as serious work would commence on both sides of the road as scheduled.

    The Commissioner said: “Consequently, those whose vehicles are parked within the span of 450 metres from the Opolo roundabout are advised to remove them with immediate effect.

    “Similarly, motorists and residents are advised to make use of other concrete internal roads within the Opolo Market Road to access other parts of the state capital.

    “We apologise for any inconveniences this may cause you even as we plead for your understanding within this period.”

  • Amaechi: sharing govt cash not the best

    It was his 54th birthday celebration in Port Harcourt, but it provided immediate past Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi with the opportunity to share his belief about looting public funds among others, reports Bisi Olaniyi, Southsouth Bureau Chief

    A former Secretary to the Bayelsa State Government (SSG), Senator Felix Oboro, who chaired the 54th birthday celebration of ex-Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi at the highbrow Aztech Arcum Event Centre on Ken Saro-Wiwa (formerly Stadium) Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State on May 27, described the celebrator as a consistent politician.

    Oboro, who said he closely worked with Amaechi, a former Governor of Rivers state (2007-2015), in the old Rivers state, before Bayelsa state was created out of the old Rivers state on October 1, 1996 by the regime of the late Gen. Sani Abacha, also stated that he and the Ubima, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers-born politician (Amaechi) related very well, when Chief Rufus Ada-George and Dr. Peter Odili were Rivers governors.

    The ex-SSG (Oboro), a Bayelsan, noted that Amaechi, as the Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly (1999-2007), Chairman of Forum of Speakers in Nigeria, Rivers Governor, the Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), the Director-General in 2015 and 2019 of the victorious Buhari/Osinbajo Presidential Campaign Organisation and Minister for Transportation, performed excellently.

    Read Also: Why we suspended floating national carrier – Amaechi

    Oboro said: “Amaechi has been very consistent, loyal and dedicated to the just cause. He is a performer. Amaechi’s reappointment by President Muhammadu Buhari as the Director-General of his re-election campaign organisation is an indication that the President was satisfied with his impressive performance.

    “I am proud of Amaechi, a fair minded, detribalised, disciplined, humble and simple politician. He has helped many persons, irrespective of where they come from. Amaechi is trying his best to ensure the election of a riverine person as the Governor of Rivers State, to end the domination by the uplanders. Very soon, Rivers State will have a riverine person as governor. When it is the turn of Southsouth to produce Nigeria’s President, I am very sure that the people of the zone and other Nigerians will support Amaechi.”

    The chairman of the occasion also urged other Nigerians to always emulate the transportation minister, who is the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers state and the Southsouth zone, fondly called the Lion of the Niger Delta.

    The colourful event also had in attendance, Amaechi’s wife of 28 years, Dame Judith; a former Minister of Culture and Tourism, Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas; Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who was represented by Nkem Osuagwu: the 2019 governorship candidate of APC in Rivers, Pastor Tonye Cole, and his running mate, Chief Victor Giadom, who is now the Acting National Secretary of APC; the Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside; and the 2019 governorship candidate of African Action Alliance (AAC) in Rivers, Biokpomabo Awara, an engineer.

    Senators Andrew Uchendu, Ovie Omo-Agege and Ifeanyi Araraume; the Acting Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Prof. Nelson Brambaifa: the Acting Executive Director, Finance and Administration (EDFA) of the Federal Government’s interventionist agency (NDDC), Dr. Chris Amadi; Rivers Chairman of APC, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree; and a former member of the House of Representatives, Dr. Dawari George, among other eminent personalities were also at the well-attended event.

    The Founder and Senior Pastor of Trinity House, Lagos, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, was the guest preacher, while other renowned clerics were also in attendance.

    Music was supplied by the iconic Prof. Laz Ekwueme, legendary Buchi, Joe Praise, Precious Omuku, Steve Crown and Magnificent Choir, among others, while the Masters of Ceremonies (MCs) included Julius Agwu, Basorge Tariah Jnr. and Amaechi’s “son” in secondary school, Dr. Michael Ogbolosingha, who is a former Mayor (Chairman) of Yenagoa Local Government Council of Bayelsa state.

    At the event, tagged: “Evening of Hymns and Songs,” had the Bishop of the Niger Delta North Diocese of the Anglican Communion, Bishop Wisdom Ihunwo, taking the opening prayer, shortly after the transportation minister got to the well-decorated arena at 4:41 p.m. on May 27, while the only Bible reading, from Psalm 145: 1-21, was taken by Dame Judith Amaechi.

    In the sermon, titled: “The Lessons of Life,” the guest preacher (Pastor Ituah Ighodalo), who quoted Psalm 90: 4-12, described life as a series of lessons that must be learnt, stressing that people must be willing to learn and they must be teachable.

    Pastor Ighodalo said: “Consistently fear the Lord and obey His instructions. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom. Always study the word of God (Bible). Wicked, selfish and violent persons will not make it to heaven.

    “Nigeria is in need of great, selfless and outstanding leadership that will be concerned about the poor, for Nigeria to be great.”

    The cleric (Pastor Ighodalo) also prayed that God would give the transportation minister wisdom, understanding and he will not be put to shame.

    The President of the National Union of Nigerian Students, Danielson Bamidele Akpan, in his remarks, reiterated that Amaechi stood strong in the face of intimidation, while believing in the empowerment of young people.

    Akpan noted that the transportation minister had been supporting President Buhari to greatly reform the system, while praying that God would continue to strengthen him.

    Amaechi, while speaking before cutting his birthday cake, along with his wife, stated that there was the need for religious tolerance, considering a large number of his Muslim friends who honoured him at the event while hailing them and others for coming.

    He said: “One funny thing about my 54th birthday is that the people of my mother’s village also organised a thanksgiving service yesterday (May 26). I thank you all, including the Chief of the village. God bless all of you. My church in Abuja also organised a birthday thanksgiving service for me. I am very grateful. I thank my dear wife, who organised a birthday dinner for me. A group of people also organised a reading session in Lagos on my birthday. Many persons and groups also organised birthday activities for me. I thank you all.

    “I ought to be in a meeting in Abuja today (on May 27), but President Muhammadu Buhari said today is my birthday, I should travel to Port Harcourt for my birthday celebration. I thank him. He is a wonderful President. He is not a normal politician. Nothing to share (Federal Government’s fund). The money that should have been used to build roads, schools and to embark on other development projects, they were sharing it in the previous administration. Now, they are being called to accountability, but there are no roads, no schools, no power, no hospitals, among others, because the money was shared among themselves.

    “One sad thing about sharing of money for development projects is that some people feel that it is the best, but the people who get more from the looted fund are the people who bring out the money to be shared. When they steal $20 million, they give people around them $2,000 and keep the balance. Sharing is not the best. The best is what we are doing now, by embarking on people-oriented and capital-intensive projects.”

    The ex-transportation minister also reiterated that there was a time that Port Harcourt International Airport was described as the worst airport in the world, noting that the situation had changed for the better, with President Buhari recently inaugurating one of the best airports in Nigeria in Port Harcourt.

    He said: “So, Port Harcourt International Airport is no longer the worst airport in the world. Before May 29, 2015, there was no airport in Port Harcourt. The Federal Government of Nigeria, headed by President Buhari, is currently constructing the Bodo-Bonny Road in Rivers State, abandoned for many years. From N49 billion to N120 billion. It is a big project and the Federal Government is fully committed to delivering it on schedule. The destructive critics are still claiming that the APC’s administration of President Buhari has done nothing in Rivers State. You have now known who the liars are.

    “As at today (May 27) that I am speaking with you, we have just applied for a loan to do Port Harcourt-Warri railway, which is part of the coastal rail, to join the Itakpe-Warri rail. Another segment of the coastal rail is the Benin City to Onitsha. The Benin-Onitsha rail will join the Itakpe-Warri rail at Agbor.

    “The man who takes care of your welfare is your brother. You have a brother from Niger Delta, who does not care about you, and you have a Hausa man who cares for you. Then, who is your brother?”

    Amaechi also expressed displeasure on the insecurity in Rivers state, stressing that the gains of his administration in the area of safety of lives and property had been reversed.

    “In Rivers State now, people are being slaughtered every day. We no longer have enough policemen in Rivers State, because all the big men and women have taken almost all the policemen in the state. Night clubs are almost dead in Port Harcourt and its environs because all the big men who patronise them are stocked in their houses, because of insecurity, especially kidnapping, armed robbery, assassination and cultism.

    “Just watch out for population explosion, with husbands and their wives being forced to remain indoors for many months. Although, the wives are very happy that their husbands are now at home. The husbands are not at home, because they love their wives, but as a result of insecurity in Rivers State. If you stay with your wife for six months, if care is not taken, you will have a child.

    “As the Governor of Rivers State, I restored security, but the criminals that I chased away are now back. With my administration’s restoration of security, night clubs came back. As a governor, I went to night clubs, with minimal security. I also placed the emphasis on massive infrastructural development and I created employment opportunities for the teeming qualified people, including many non-indigenes, who are still happy with their jobs.

    “We will quickly round off this birthday celebration because I cannot guarantee your security after here (Aztech Arcum Event Centre). Some days ago in Ogoni (Rivers State), forty persons were killed. Just yesterday (May 26), some innocent persons were killed in Port Harcourt and one of them was beheaded.”

    The transportation minister also urged Nigerians to get united and pray more, stressing that during the March 23 and March 9, 2019 elections, the people did not pray enough, while reiterating that during the 2015 elections, everybody was fasting and praying, until God delivered Nigerians, admonishing the people to work much harder and pray more.

    He wished Nigerians the best and assured that President Buhari would do better in his second tenure than in the first term.

    Amaechi also thanked everybody that honoured him on his birthday, especially his colleagues in the Federal  Ministry of Transportation and particularly the Permanent Secretary.

    He disclosed that when many of his colleagues at the Federal Executive Council were complaining about their permanent secretaries, he was always telling them to leave his permanent secretary alone.

    The former Rivers governor (Amaechi) also expressed gratitude to the organisers and sponsors of the birthday bash, revealing that he did not put in a Kobo for the grand event.

    It is good to always celebrate persons who have positively impacted society, for the younger generations to be emulating their selfless services to the society and humanity, in order to move forward.

  • We will complete N50bn bond repayment in June, says Bayelsa

    The Bayelsa State Government has said it would complete repayment of the N50bn bond facility obtained by the former administration of Chief Timipre Sylva by June this year.

    The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said in Yenagoa that it was part of the major resolutions reached at the State Executive Council meeting.

    In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the State Governor on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, the Commissioner noted that, when completed, funds currently being used to service the bond would be channelled towards finishing key ongoing projects in the state.

    Iworiso-Markson who listed the priority projects to include the Sagbama-Ekeremor Road, Yenagoa-Oporoma Road and Ayama/Ogbia-Okodi Road, said government had already worked out funding modalities in its bid to expedite work on the projects.

    Read also: FOBTOB institutes empowerment scheme for members’ children

    According to the commissioner, the council reaffirmed the present administration’s resolve to bequeath legacies for successive governments to build on, for sustainable development of the state.

    He said: “We are determined as a government to finish well and strong. Going by the resolutions reached in Council, it is clear that this government will leave no stone unturned to ensure that we deliver optimally to Bayelsans.

    “Our resolve is that Bayelsans at the end of the day will judge this government by the footprint we’ve been able to establish. Everything we’ve done from day one to this moment is a testament to our resolve to leave lasting legacy that even successive governments will follow.”

    Expatiating on the funding modalities, the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Maxwell Ebibai, noted that the state government was expanding the “Contractor Infrastructure Development Finance Scheme”, a model which was used in financing other critical infrastructural projects in the state.

    Under the scheme, he said contractors were empowered to borrow funds from financial institutions to execute projects and present their certificates of work done for government to pay.

    Ebibai pointed out that the model helped to check the issue of slow pace or outright abandonment in the execution of government projects.

    He said: “The Contractor Infrastructure Development Scheme is essentially to ensure that contractors have unhindered access to funds. Under the scheme, the state does not borrow but the contractors may borrow to execute government jobs so that the projects will not slow down or stop.

    “The state government only guarantees for payment for jobs already done. It is some kind of public private partnership arrangement between the state, contractors and banks. In this scheme, we are considering projects that we cannot manage from our monthly cash flow.”

  • Polls: Bayelsa warns against violence

    …vows to prosecute offenders

    The Bayelsa State Government Thursday warned against electoral violence and vowed to use the instrumentality of the law to punish anyone or group found to be disrupting the existing peace in the state.

    The government at its 104th Executive Council meeting said it deliberated extensively on a report before it that some politicians in the state were stockpiling arms for the purpose of causing mayhem.

    The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Arthur Andrew Seweniowor said the government would not fold its hands and watch unscrupulous politicians turn the state into a killing field.

    He said the government would not allow what happened during the 2015 and 2016 governorship election to repeat itself, stressing that it had a constitutional mandate to protect lives and property.

    He maintained that elections were not war but a healthy contest to pick leaders and called on youths not to allow themselves to be used by selfish politicians to commit atrocities.

    Seweniowor said: “The violence that characterized the 2015 governorship election is still fresh in our minds. If you recall the government did set up a panel of inquiry to investigate the crisis that engulfed parts of the state in course of the election.

    “A white paper was later produced after the panel submitted their report. It is sad to note that those indicted in that report are still the same persons who are stockpiling arms today.

    “We want to make it clear that on no account will anyone be allowed to launch a reign of terror and brigandage. We are determined to bring anyone or group of persons found culpable to book. We call on our youths not to allow themselves to be deployed as tools for electoral violence and manipulation”.

    On his part, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso-Markson said opposition politicians in the state were not preparing for elections but war.

    Iworiso-Markson said because the opposition was unpopular, it had resorted to creating instability and turning the state into a theatre of war.

    Read Also: 2019 polls: FG will cooperate with international observers, Says Presidency

    He appealed to parents and guardians to talk to their children to stay away from desperate politicians and their evil plots.

    According to him, rather than take up arms, they should keep their PVCs closer in order to elect responsible leaders that will bring more development to the state.

    He said: “We have said it over and over again that the opposition party in the state is not pretending about their intentions to cause violence and pave the way for the hijack of electoral materials by their hired thugs. They are preparing for war and not election.

    “These diaspora politicians have not contributed anything to the development of our state. They only come back home when there is election and because of their lack of popularity they institute violent means to get into power”.

  • Bayelsa, ITF to focus empowerment on indigent youths

    The Bayelsa State Government and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) have concluded plans to focus their skill acquisition training and empowerment on indigent youths.

    It was gathered that the state Ministry of Youths at the weekend held a crucial meeting in Yenagoa with the management of ITF to broker a new deal for youths.

    The Commissioner for Youths, Udengs Eradiri, who confirmed the meeting said the government wanted to ensure that only indigent and committed youths receive starter packs and other training packages.

    Eradiri said that the state government would explore all opportunities for youth empowerment within and outside the country.

    Describing youths in Bayelsa as hard working, the commissioner said the government of Seriake Dickson was determined to make youths employers of labour.

    Read also: Policeman killed as cult leader’s death sparks violence in Bayelsa

    He said his ministry would embark on a tour of facilities at National Industrial Skill Development Centre in Lagos to replicate same in the state.

    He said when established in the state, such Centre would be used to train middle class manpower through a sustainable scheme.

    Eradiri commended the management of ITF for its efforts in skill acquisition and empowerment and called for more training opportunities.

    In his remarks, the Area Manager, ITF, Mr. Kolawole Samson, said the ITC was created to promote, provide and encourage acquisition of skills and empowerment across the country.

    He said that the ITF would be distributing sewing machines to 13 women in the state and called on the commissioner and his team to attend the event.

  • Bayelsa security outfit withdrawn without my knowledge – CP

    The frosty relationship between the Bayelsa State Government and the police deepened on Monday following the withdrawal of the state security outfit, Operation Doo-Akpor by the government.

    The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Mukan, while parading over 20 cultists in Yenagoa, said he was not consulted before the withdrawal.

    Mukan said he was not briefed on the suspension of Doo-Akpor’s operations despite making inquiries from responsible government officials.

    He said the Special Adviser on Security, Boma Sparo-Jack and the Chief of Staff, Government House, Talford Ongolo, said they were not aware about the reason for suspending the outfit’s operations.

    Describing the withdrawal as unfortunate, he said the situation he met on ground on his resumption as the police chief in the state was that Doo-Akpor was not controlled by the police command.

    He, however, said despite reporting directly to the governor, the government would have informed the police before suspending its operations especially amidst complaints of rising crimes in the state.

    He said: “We are surprised the way you are. Let me inform you that Doo-Akpor is not operating under the state command. They are independent and they report directly to the governor. 

    “Though it is commanded by a senior police officer, they don’t take the command into considerations in their activities. So, when we notice the withdrawal we tried to ask questions. But nobody is coming up with any clear reason for withdrawing the vehicles. 

    “But it is unfortunate. If we are shouting that crime has increased in Bayelsa and action like that is to be taken at least we collaborators in fighting crimes in Bayelsa should be informed. But nobody informed us. 

    “I tried to get across to the special adviser on security, he said he was not aware. I got across to the chief of staff; he said he was not aware. So, l believe that the commander is in a better position to tell us why it was withdrawn”.

    Mukan said he would not recommend the suspension of Doo-Akpor’s services since it was established to assist the police in fighting crime.

    He, however, said the police were fully ready to guarantee security of lives and properties despite the suspension of Doo-Akpor.

    He said: “Doo-Akpor should not be removed now. They are assisting in fighting crime in Yenagoa and I don’t see any reason in withdrawing it. The same people complaining of high wave of crime are the same people compounding it. 

    “But we are up to the task. We are moving and doing our own bit. The security situation has not changed because of the withdrawal of Doo-Akpor”,

    Residents in Yenagoa expressed fears following sudden disappearance of patrol vans belonging to the state security outfit from the streets.

    Investigations revealed that the services rendered by the security outfit were no longer available to members of the public.

    The outfit’s patrol vans were no longer located at strategic places they were usually stationed for quick response to criminal activities.

    It was also observed that the stop and search operations, which the security outfit recently commenced in Yenagoa the state capital, had been suspended.

    There has been tension in the state following the alarm raised by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other government stakeholders on a plot by the Inspector-General of police to disband the security outfit.

    Doo-Akpor, whose operatives comprised the police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), was established and funded by the Governor Seriake Dickson’s administration to maintain the peace in the state.

    The House of Assembly and elders from the state recently warned against the plot saying it would heighten insecurity in the state.

    A top officer of the outfit, who spoke in confidence, confirmed that the security outfit was temporarily suspended.

    But he said the withdrawal was not in connection with the alleged move to disband the outfit adding that the action was taken to rebrand the outfit and repair its vehicles for optimum service delivery. 

  • Bayelsa demands justice for victims of killings

    The Bayelsa State Government on Wednesday called on the Federal Government to ensure justice for victims of killings across the country especially those who lost their lives and properties in armed herdsmen’ attacks.

    The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said justice would ensure national integration, peace and curb other challenges facing the country.

    ‎Iworiso-Markson spoke in Yenagoa while delivering a keynote address at the 8th Executive Committee of the Supreme Council for Non-Indigenes (SCN) in the state and the investiture of the organisation’s patrons.

    He commended the leadership of SCN for its efforts in contributing to the social discourse to bring about development and peace.

    He said: “Justice is key to achieving, assuring and perpetuating peace in the country. When we seek peace and exclude justice from the picture we are just paying lip service to achieving peace.

    “To put it graphically, each time justice is missing in the foundation of our search for peace, it will be as if we place the cart before the horse. Certainly, we wont be able to achieve any serious movement towards our objective.

    “What is missing in the country today is justice. One precursor that will bring justice and ultimately guarantee peace is restructuring. The time has come to restructure the country in line with advance federation of the world.

    “I do not want to propose anything different from what our leaders in the South-South and our governors, especially my boss, Governor Henry Seriake Dickson have proposed.

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    “Suffice to say that President Muhamadu Buhari must quickly set machinery in motion to ensure that the issue of restructuring is addressed once and for all.

    “Incidentally, his party, the APC has also agreed that restructuring will be doing justice to every sector and region of our country. For the avoidance of doubt, the restructuring that the South-South envisaged will include fiscal federalism.

    “The issue of peace in the crisis-ridden North Central Nigeria where suspected Fulani Herdsmen have been accused of complicity in mass murder and expansionist tendencies, and myriad of other challenges facing the country could be resolved faster if everybody is served justice. Justice, to me, is one drug that cures all”.

    The commissioner said that Bayelsa State enjoyed sustained peace in the last six years because of the commitment of the government to ensure peace and social justice to all, regardless of creeds and tongues.

    ‎He said Dickson was conscious that lack of accountability, transparency and commitment to social welfare of the citizenry were also variants of injustice.

    He thanked the non-indigenes for their roles in boosting local economy ‎and living in peace with indigenes assuring them of a safer and more conducive environment for their businesses.

    ‎In his lecture titled, Peace-Building and National Integration in a Pluralistic Nigeria: the role of non-indigenes, The Guest Speaker, Raimi Lasisi said the threat to social integration came from persons, who provided incentives for violence, conflict and war in many parts of the country.

    He said: “Needless to say that when violent conflicts persist, the drums of disintegration become easily echoed in any society and this is particularly true of pluralistic or multiethnic countries like Nigeria.

    “Globally, there are several indicators that threaten peace and integration of nations. These indices all revolve around the balance of power issue which determines the level with which a nation lords over another especially for political, economic and social (ethnic and religious) reasons.

    “However, amongst the most pressing of these indicators that threaten peace building and social integration; negative ethnicity as well as religious extremism are the most vicious”.

    In their separate remarks, the Chairman of the occasion and Special Adviser to the Governor on non-Indigenes, Alex Dumbo and the President, SCN, Alhaji Ade Bakare thanked the government for giving them a sense of belonging in the state.

    They said about nine non-indigenes in the state were serving as political appointees of the government, describing it as a clear indication of their acceptability by the government.

  • APC lied on sacking of 28,000 workers, says Bayelsa govt

    The Bayelsa State Government yesterday debunked a claim by  the All Progressives Congress (APC) that the government sacked 28,000 workers following the ongoing public sector reforms in the state
    The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said in a statement that the claim made by the APC Chairman, Jothan Amos, only confirmed his party in the state thrived on lies.
    Iworiso-Markson said that Jothan and the APC only made a failed attempt to discredit well-intentioned and generally-received public sector reforms in Bayelsa.
    He said that the sacking of 28,000 workers only existed in the imagination of the APC chairman and showed his lack of understanding of happenings in the state.
    The commissioner said that it was not  unexpected for Diaspora and seasonal politicians to display crass ignorance and cling onto anything including lies to seek political relevance.
    He stressed that the blackmail from the APC was an indication of corruption fighting the reforms designed to free Bayelsa from the greed of payroll vultures.
    He added that any politician attempting to attack the reforms and the removal of fictitious names from the payroll was an enemy of Bayelsa and her people.
    He stated that only those who do not mean well for the state and the unemployed graduates in Bayelsa would fault the genuine intention of the government to rid the public service of ghost workers, over-aged personnel and others to create space for employment into the public service.
    The commissioner described the commencement of the ongoing exercise to engage 1000 workers into the public service as a pointer to the benefits of the reforms.
    He challenged the APC chairman to provide one qualified Bayelsa civil servant who was sacked as a result of the ongoing reforms to back his spurious claim.
    He restated the position of the governor that the reforms were not meant to sack people and foist hardship on the citizens.
    He said: “It is clear that the APC faction in the state is worried by the wide acceptance of the reforms by Bayelsans. To them, everything must be seem from their primitive prism of injurious politics.
    “When you are out against ingrained corruption, what do you expect? Corruption will fight back. This is a classical case of corruption drawing the daggers against the reforms in the name of APC in Bayelsa.
    “Anybody faulting the holistic implementation of the reforms hates Bayelsa; Anybody attempting to politicize the removal of fictitious names from the over bloated payroll is an enemy of the unemployed Bayelsa youth.
    “What this government has done is what other administrations failed to do because they considered political considerations above the interest and survival of our dear state.
    “Who are the 27,000 workers that have been sacked? Where were they sacked from? If the APC is on the ground in Bayelsa, they should have been in a position to parade some of the supposedly sacked workers from the public service.
    “The fact is that a party build on a mound of lies can’t stand. This lie should be discountenanced. Bayelsa is not a ghost society. You don’t sack ghost because there is no provision for them in the society of humans. Are they alleging sacking of 27,00 ghosts?”
    He insisted that no amount of blackmail from the APC or elsewhere would stop the government from implementing the reforms.
    He said that the APC in the state could not claim ignorance of the removal of 55,000 ghost names from the payroll by the Federal Government.
    Iworiso-Markson added that if Jothan had been reading the papers, he would also have realized that similar implementation of Reforms and indeed outright sacking of workers have taken place in many APC states.
  • Send your child to school or risk jail term, Bayelsa tells parents 

    Send your child to school or risk jail term, Bayelsa tells parents 

    The Bayelsa State Government, Thursday, said it would arrest and prosecute parents, who refused to send their children to school to acquire formal education.

    The order was issued following the signing into law of the Compulsory Primary and Secondary Education Bill by the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson.

    Speaking after the 89th State Executive Council (SEC) meeting‎, the Commissioner for Education, Jonathan Obuebite, said the new law prescribed that every child of school age must be enrolled into the various model schools of the government.

    Obuebite maintained‎ that any child caught loitering or hawking on the streets during school hours would be picked up while their parents or guardians would be dealt with as provided in the new law.

    He explained that the move was to underscore the‎ importance the government attached to education, adding that it would ensure full utilisation of the huge investment made in the sector.

    He said: “We have spent over N70bn building and equipping our schools. Today we have quality infrastructure and facilities across our schools in every local government area. We feel it is important to have this law to protect that investment.

    “The law will be fully implemented. We want to thank His Excellency for his assent and members of the assembly for passing it into law. Clearly the law is to demonstrate our commitment to education in the state”.

    Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Ebitimitula Etebu‎ said the council expressed delight with the bill establishing the School of Midwifery which was also signed ‎into law by Dickson.

    He said the law would further boost primary healthcare delivery in the state adding that the new Primary Healthcare Development Board would be given the responsibility of coordinating and managing all health facilities built in every community.

    Also speaking, the Commissioner for Tourism Development, Ebiere Irene Musa noted that with the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bristow Helicopters, shuttle services for the company’s seaplane from Yenagoa to other states in the Niger Delta as well as Lagos and Abuja had commenced.

    “We have brought our tourism potentials out ‎to the world. Just after the commissioning of the magnificent Grand Pavillion and Boat Club, Oxbow lake, we have today signed an MoU with Bristow helicopter. So it is a thing of joy that from Oxbow lake you can connect Lagos, Abuja and other states in this region”.

    The Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Kuroakegha Dorgu‎, further explained that  the council resolved to acquire the land opposite the Grand Pavillion in Oxbow lake to expand the tourism site.

    He said fishing, farming, dredging and other related commercial activities had been banned to allow for smooth tourist operations in the area.

    Also, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said henceforth any community not receptive to some projects risked losing such development in their domain.

    Iworiso-Markson said the council frowned on the attitude of indigenes of some community who were always preventing the presence of meaningful development in their area because of their selfish purpose.

    Read Aslo: The Bayelsa children are coming

  • Bayelsa govt moves against rape, assault

    The Bayelsa State government is worried by the spate of defilement of minors, rape and assault on women.

    Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Wodu Kemasuode, yesterday, in Yenagoa, inaugurated a special committee to work with the Nigerian Police to ensure prompt prosecution of all suspects involved in such cases.

    The commissioner told the Committee headed by Mrs. Pere Egbuson, said the ministry was inundated with complaints of such offences.

    He asked the committee to track all the case files and give the victims justice.

    Kemasuode also  gave the committee the responsibility monitoring the conduct of the state’s law officers attached to the ministry discharging their duties.

    He said: “We have over the last few years been receiving frequent complaints about sexual offences committed against women, girl child, rape and defilement. We have received a lot of complaints about that.

    “The police have been forwarding case files to us for prosecution which we have been doing. But I am aware that there are problems the Police is also encountering in the investigation of those cases that are reported to them before they get to us.

    “So we do not even receive up to a third of the complaints received from people that have been assaulted. So we need to engage the police and ensure that when this report is made to the Police, the police promptly investigates the complaints and forward to us for prosecution.”

    Kemasuode also inaugurated a committee headed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Mr. Preye Agedah, to document the native laws and customs of the people in relation to chieftaincy issues, land law, inheritance and marriage.