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Tag: Bayelsa State

  • Tears as Dickson’s delegation visits mother’s ancestral home

    How my mum was diagnosed of cancer – Governor

    Residents of Angiama, the ancestral home of the late Gold Coast, the mother of Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, shed tears uncontrollably on Wednesday when they were formally notified of their daughter’s death.

    A delegation of leaders of the Kpadia Royal family to which the Dickson family is a part and the Toru Orua community of Sagbama Local Government Area was in Angiama with the sad message.

    The high powered delegation was led to the Angiama community of Patani Local Government Area òf Delta State by the Kpadia Royal family.

    The messengers included a full community delegation from Toru- Orua and Bulou-Orua, with Chief Accra Odogu as leader.

    The delegation included the Chairman of the Kpadia family, Chief Joshua Ogoezi and Dr. Seiyefa Koroye.

    The Governor of Bayelsa State who was the first son of the late Mrs Gold Coast Dickson, his friends and associates, National and state legislators, government operatives, youth leaders also formed part of the delegation.

    The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, stated in a statement on Wednesday that the visit was in adherence to the age long tradition of the Ijaw people to formally inform the deceased family in the event of death.

    The delegation was received by the three paramount rulers in the area, the Amananaowei of Angiama 1, Delta State, Chief Frank Ayakoroma, the Amananaowei of Angiama 2, Chief Bruce Ogbo, and the Amananaowei of Bolou Angiama, Chief Forward Osuobeni.

    The Head of the Akpe family of the late Mrs. Dickson, Mr. Salami Akpe, a maternal uncle to Governor Dickson and his siblings, and other prominent members of the area also received the delegation.

    Read Also: Dickson loses mother to cancer

    The late Mrs. Goldcoast Dickson died in August 18, 2018 at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Centre, Houston, Texas where she wasreceiving treatment.

    Governor Dickson who returned to the country after the death of the matriarch on Monday said during a church service held in memory of his late mother that she was a mother who displayed unique qualities and virtues which shaped the lives of her children and those who came across her in her lifetime.

    “My mother has been an integral part of my journey, she was not just my mother, she was my elder sister, she was my rock, my counselor, and because of her subtle style, people might not know the level of her influence.” He said

    Dickson said that his mother complained of some pain in the leg in January which was later discovered by medical experts at the Bayelsa Diagnostic Centre to be cancer.

    He recounted the last moment he had with his late mother who passed on in his presence in the US.

    He recalled that his mother told him some people dressed in white had come to take her home before she passed unto glory.

    “One thing that happened before she passed on, is that she said that people dressed in white had come to take her home”, he said.

    He described his mother as a warm, witty and charming personality who love humanity and was loved my many including the medical experts at the Cancer Centre where she died.

    The governor urged the people to pray against untimely death especially the rampant incidence of cancer related deaths in the society.

  • Mum was my rock, biggest supporter, says Dickson

    Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson on Tuesday described his late mother, Mrs. Goldcoast Dickson as his rock, elder sister, friend, biggest supporter, and an integral part of his life.

    He said the life of her mother he fondly called Mama Gogo impacted positively on him an on many who met her.

    Dickson spoke when members of the National Assembly representing the state, paid him a condolence visit in Government House, Yenagoa.

    A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Francis Ottah Agbo quoted Dickson, as saying that, his mother’s love, devotion and warmth towards him and his siblings could never be quantified.

    Dickson expressed sadness over the passage of his mother, saying the vacuum created by her departure would be difficult to fill, as she always prayed for him and for his administration to succeed.

    He said: “My mum was my rock. She was not just my mother, she was my elder sister; she had me very early; she was my friend and my biggest supporter in anything I wanted to do.

    Read Also: Dickson loses mother to cancer

    “And she was always praying and encouraging me. Today, for the first time since her death, as we finished the morning devotion, I didn’t have my mother to hug me because every morning after devotion, she would hug me!

    “After every morning devotion, she would bless me and pronounce strength and God’s guidance and she did that till the very end. Even on her hospital bed, she was praying and blessing all her children so this is one vacuum that will be very difficult to fill.”

    The Governor, who said the Dickson family was going through a trying period, noted that, Mrs. Dickson would be greatly missed and expressed appreciation to all sympathizers, who identified with them in their movement of grief.

     

  • IYC, Igbo group urge members to support pro-restructuring candidates

    The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide and the Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth Council (OYC) at the weekend appealed to their members to support pro-restructuring candidates irrespective of their political parties in the 2019 general elections. 

    The leaders of the groups, who met at the Ijaw House, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, specifically urged their members to cast their votes for candidates, whose manifestoes support restructuring.

    The Igbo leaders comprised the South-South Coordinator of OYC, Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa; South-South Secretary, OYC, Ogoegbunam Ifeanyi; OYC leaders, Cross River, Remy Agwuzie; Delta State, Chief Chris Ezeukwu; Rivers State, Ezeilo Franklin and Akwa Ibom, Chief Nelson Udeze.

    The Igbo leaders’ delegation later met with the leadership of the IYC, Central Zone, chaired by Mr. Tari Porri.

    Prior to their meeting with Porri’s leadership, the Igbo delegates in a communique signed by Franklin, called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency set up machinery in motion to restructure the country.

    “It has become more strident even as it has been generally agreed by all ethnic nationalities and even the political party at the centre that there is a need to restructure the Nigerian state for better efficiency”, they said.

    The Igbo leaders also asked the multinational companies to relocate their headquarters to the Niger Delta region in line with the directive of the Presidency.

    Read Also: IYC warns against subversion of democracy

    They said the relocation would enhance harmonious relationship between the oil companies and their host communities and further enthrone mutual trust, respect and peace in the region.

    The leaders emphasized the need for mutual coexistence  between the south-south and the South-East for progress and development.

    In a meeting with Porri, Aurthur-Ugwa, who is also the Bayelsa State President of OYC said the youths were making plans to hold a summit on restructuring.

    Porri in his remarks commended his Igbo counterparts for their position on restructuring saying it was in tandem with the views of the Bayelsa Governor, Seriake Dickson.

    He said the youths took a decision to support only pro-restructuring candidates in the forthcoming general elections.

    “We have resolved to have a cordial relationship with the Igbos across the world. Anywhere you see Igbo man and Ijaw man we are friends and brothers. This will further encourage us to be our brothers’ keepers. 

    “We have also reaffirmed our commitment, support and solidarity with our fathers around the world on the resolution that the 2019 general election is a referendum on restructuring.

    “The youth wings of Ijaw nation and Ohaneze have resolved that we are working together to vote for a presidential candidate that believes in the restructuring of this country”, he said.

  • Bayelsa to aspirants: Election is not war

    The Bayelsa State Government on Thursday warned politicians against violent conducts insisting that the forthcoming general election is not a warfare.

    The government said it would work with security agencies to ensure that the state remained safe and peaceful throughout the electioneering period

    The state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso-Markson appealed to all aspirants not to hit up the polity with unguarded utterances but to play by the rules of the game.

    Speaking in a live online interview programme, Knowing Bayelsa, said it would be a sad situation if the existing peace in Bayelsa was truncated political activities.

    While giving an overview of the Restoration Government’s performance in the last six years, he said it was not in doubt that the government made remarkable achievements in virtually all the sectors.

    He attributed the success of the government to the quality leadership displayed by Governor Seriake Dickson, noting that the governor came prepared to deliver the goods to Bayelsans.

    Read Also: APC to INEC: investigate PDP’s plan to rig elections

    The Commissioner said: “After six years,  the footprints are there for all to see. We have made sustained progress to change the narrative of the state from how and when we met it. There is no doubt that we will be leaving a lasting legacy that is impressionable.

    “Let me say here that this is because of the kind of leadership we have in Governor Seriake Dickson. A man who is so passionate about development, so concerned about the lives of his people and with the right capacity to make things work. I am very humbled to have been working with him in the last six years”.

    Iworiso-Markson promised that most of the ongoing projects in the state would be completed by the Restoration Government and others would be almost at finishing stages before the end of the administration.

    “We will ensure the completion of projects like the Sagbama/Ekeremor road, of course you know that the airport is almost complete and ready for inauguration. The projects we can’t complete definitely the next government will take it up from there but they will be at advanced stage”, he said.

    Speaking on the 1,000 employment opportunity recently created by Dickson, the commissioner said there would be more of such opportunities after the first phase.

    He advised those who have been shortlisted for the job examination to do their best and be among the 1,000 to be finally selected.

    Iworiso-Markson maintained that the recruitment process was  transperent and the recent launching of the website by the State Civil Service Commission gave it more credibility.

    He also pointed out that the government created limitless opportunities for youths of the state as part of deliberate effort to engage them meaningfully and keep them away from social vices.

    He said: “These days it is not strange to see people earn fat salaries because of their ideas and innovations. So it is time for youths of Bayelsa to think and create things that will bring financial prosperity for them. There are people whose ideas have made them very rich. The Bill Gates and Mark Zukerberg of this world.

    “Look at Uber for example it is someone that started it. We don’t have that kind of thing in Bayelsa. So starting something similar here can change the story of someone. Some people have 3 cars wasting away in their garage, if you put that to use, you will see the returns. So things like that are what our youths should think towards”  he said.

     

  • Bayelsa to youths: Shun desperate politicians

    Bayelsa State Government on Wednesday urged youths to protect their future by identifying and shunning political desperadoes ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson told the youths that the electoral season would throw up desperate politicians, who would adopt wicked measures including riding on the blood of the youths to power.

    Speaking to a group of youths under the auspices of the National Union of Ogbia Students (NUOS), Iworiso-Markson, appealed to youngsters not to allow themselves to be used as instruments to cause violence and destabilise the state.

    He said desperate politicians were only interested in exploiting the energy of the youths to win elections and thereafter abandon them only to return to beg then with paltry sum of money after four years.

    He charged the Ogbia students to stand firm and resist the usual gimmick but to mobilise support for aspirants known for their performance and love for their people.

    Iworiso-Markson told the youths to be peaceful in their conducts during elections, saying, “your lives are more important than the ambition of a desperate politician”. 

    The information commissioner said his passion in life was to see to the development of young people with the capacity to rule their world. 

    He assured them of his support in their various programmes, particularly the campaign against social vices in Ogbia.

    He said: “Let me thank you for coming and for taking up the sensitization to curb the rampaging issue of cultism, abuse of alcohol and drug addiction. It is imperative to curb these menace as well as proffer possible solutions needed.

    “I endorse the programme and affirm my total support. This is because the rate of cultism and other social vices in Ogbia is alarming. 

    Read Also: Bayelsa gets new police commissioner

    “There is a general break down in the family and when you have a broken home, social vices are inevitable. So we will address the problem from the root because we don’t want any Ogbia child to die due to cultism again”.

    Earlier, the group’s Leader, Damini Patrick, commended the Government of Governor Seriake Dickson for the development of Bayelsa State, especially Ogbia local government area.

    He listed some of the projects to include the construction of Imiringi and Opume bridges which are about 90 percent completed, internal roads, among others. 

    Damini also appreciated the commissioner for his enormous contributions towards the development of Ogbia kingdom and the youths in particular and prayed God to continue to bless him.

    He said: “The Ogbia students are really proud of you for piloting the affairs of the Restoration Government in this ministry gallantly. And we are strongly behind you. 

    “We are here to talk about our upcoming programme. There is a saying that if you want to harvest for a year then you should plant rice, if you want to harvest for 10 years you should plant tress but if you want to invest for hundred years then educate a child. And education to us is path to success.

    “Dr. Goodluck Jonathan established a school in Otuoke because he knew that through education a better LG is assured. But recently in Ogbia kingdom, our youths are deviating from education and now indulge themself in cultism, alcoholism and drug addiction and so many other social vices.

    “I and my executives came together and said we need to fight this, this is a collective effort and we came up with the theme; curbing social vices in Ogbia Kingdom. So we thought it wise to see you as our representative in the restoration government to assist us in this program”.

  • I carried blocks to pay my school fees, says Diette-Spiff’s wife 

    The Queen of Brass Kingdom in Bayelsa State, Her Majesty, Dr. Josephine Diette-Spiff at the weekend advocated quality education for the girl child saying she did menial jobs, including carrying blocks at building sites to pay her school fees.

    The wife of King Alfred Diette-Spiff, who spoke while delivering a goodwill message at Elebele in Ogbia Local Government Area, called on female children not to give up in their desire to be educated and contribute to societal development.

    The queen, who is the Chairperson, Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Wives Association (BSTRWA) and President, Royal Queens of the Niger Delta Initiative (RQNDI) was a guest of a symposium tagged, educate a woman, educate a nation, organised by the Ogbia Brotherhood Women Wing (OBWW).

    While donating to the Ogbia Girl Child Education Trust Fund created for scholarships by the OBWW, she described the initiative as a victory for the Ogbia female children.

    She passionately appealed to the organisers of the programme to adopt vigilance and vision by following up the scholarship beneficiaries to achieve the primary objective of the initiative.

    She said females like their male counterparts have the right to education, skill acquisition and right to make choices and actualise a dream.

    She insisted that adding that encouraging female education was crucial to nation building.

    Narrating how she overcame her poor background, she said: “By the grace of God, I have been able to give quality educational opportunities and experience which has transformed and empowered youths to reach their potentials. This does give me the understanding and appreciation of the girl child education.

    “As a child growing up in the Niger Delta, I was not fortunate to have my education paid for by my parents who were of humble background. But I didn’t give up my passion for education instead I sought for a job. So I ended up as  mason assistant carrying sand and blocks in a building site in Benin City.

    “So no one should give up their passion, work at it and pray always; the sky is your limit to triumph. As you are witnesses today, I am a Lawyer with a Doctorate in Business Administration and most importantly the wife of a King”.

    Addressing the organisers of the scholarship funds, she added: “Our victory today in educating the girl child should not stop in the present because it’s no guarantee of our victory tomorrow. You cannot afford to lower the standards that you have set for yourselves as an organization.

    “You cannot be complacent. It is important that you follow up on the awardees of this trust fund to deliver on your promise of providing quality education for the Oghia girl child”.

    Also speaking, the Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Ayebemi Ibuteme Spiff said that compulsory girl child education would address many other critical issues like child and maternal mortality among others.

    She said one of the major reasons militating against the girl child education poverty, the culture of the Nigerian people and certain aspects of the religion.

    She said: “With about 60% of Nigerians living in poverty, families are forced to make very difficult choices. One of such choices is to sacrifice the education of some of their children for the education of one who will later carry the other family members to the promise land. Needless to say that the education of the girl child is almost always sacrificed for that of the boy child”.

     

  • NLC decries defection, urges politicians to focus on moving nation forward

    The Bayelsa State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) wants  politicians to stop the ongoing   gale of defections, and play politics by the rules to safeguard democracy in the country.

    Mr. John Ndiomu, the state Chairman of NLC, told our reporters in Yenagoa,the state capital onFriday that political actors should instead focus on issues that  would drive Nigeria’s development.

    The chairman cautioned against repeating mistakes of the past, stressing that defection would not impact on national development in any form like job creation and provision of basic amenities.

    He said: “I will not say that our democracy is under threat or that we are going backward; my concern is that our politicians are yet to learn their lessons because the current issue of defection is indicating that they are going to repeat the old mistakes in the forthcoming elections.

    Read Also: Minimum wage panel to end negotiation next month, says NLC boss

    “My question here is: are the defectors defecting for the good interest of Nigerians or for their selfish interest?

    “It is high time we learned  from the past in order not to repeat the old mistakes.

    “In the forthcoming elections, we want politicians who have the interest of Nigerians at heart. “The electorate should be mindful not to vote for politicians that have failed the people.”

  • Bayelsa gets new police commissioner

    A new police commissioner, Austin Awar, has been sent to the Bayelsa State command by the Force Headquarters.

    Awar resumed in the state following confusion that marred deployment of police commissioners to Bayelsa.

    Awar was the fourth police commissioner posted to the state in less than two weeks, a development that raised suspicion among Bayelsa stakeholders.

    Following the removal of the former police commissioner, Don Awunah, the police posted Joseph Mukan, Ahmed Bello, Ahmad Abdulrahman to the state within two weeks.

    The police bosses posted to Bayelsa were reportedly recalled before they could resume their duties.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Butswat Asinim, confirmed the deployment of Awar.

    Read Also: ‘Bayelsa youths should be good ambassadors of Ijaw nation’

    Asinim in a statement said: “The Bayelsa State Police Command wishes to inform the general public and well-meaning individuals in the state, that a new Commissioner of Police has been posted to the Command.

    “He is CP Austin Iwar, he takes over from CP Don Awunah, Anipr, fsi, who has been redeployed to CP Border Patrol, Force Headquarters Abuja.

    “The new Commissioner of Police, assumed duty today 8th August 2018, until his present posting, he was the Commissioner of Police Kaduna State Command.

    “He is a dogged crime fighter, a disciplinarian and a professional Police Officer, who has served in various commands and formations in various capacities.

    “The Command, by this announcement, solicits the cooperation and partnership of the good and well-meaning people of Bayelsa State, to accord the new Commissioner of Police, the necessary support to discharge his duties of maintaining law and order in the State”.

     

  • Bayelsa stakeholders tip Alaibe to replace Dickson

    Bayelsa State stakeholders on Tuesday tipped a former Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Ndutimi Alaibe, as a good replacement for Governor Seriake Dickson.

    The stakeholders called on Alaibe to warm up for the 2019 governorship election in the state assuring him of victory.

    They argued that Alaibe, who hails from Opokuma area of the state, had the credentials to continue with the good work of Dickson.

    The stakeholders consisted of the Timi Alaibe Youth Vanguard (TAYV), Bayelsa State Advancement Movement (BSAM), Alaibe Support Group (ASG), Committee for the Development of Bayelsa State (CDBS) and Concerned Progressive Youths of Bayelsa State (CPYBS)

    Applauding transformation in the state, they insisted that Alaibe had the wherewithal to pilot the affairs for the benefit of the people in line with strides already achieved by the Dickson.

    Speaking for the groups, Prince Peres Ogbogbo, noted that Alaibe’s strides in the NDDC and as a Presidential Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs remained unmatched by his successors, saying he would repeat similar feats as a governor.

    Read Also: Obasanjo’s medical tourism in Bayelsa

    He said they were ready to purchase the nomination form for Alaibe despite his chosen political platform.

    Ogbogbo said: “We opted to synergise our various positions with the aim of ensuring that Timi Alaibe becomes the next governor. Our groups have the required structures  across the 105 wards of the state that will enable us achieve their target.

    “We have structures across the 105 wards in the state that can give our principal Timi Alaibe the mandate to be the next governor of the state.

    “We state without equivocation that we are calling on Timi Alaibe to contest for the governorship position because we trust and we are confident that with his achievements in NDDC and the amnesty office, he has the capacity to move the state forward”.

    He said the groups looked at the last records of Alaibe and were impressed by his achievements such as construction of roads across the Niger Delta, electrification of communities and empowerment of the people.

    “The footprints of Timi Alaibe are all over the Niger Delta and beyond. Under his tenure in NDDC he constructed roads, electrified communities across the Niger Delta States.

    “It should be noted here that he was the initiator of the amnesty programme that has restored peace in the region and empowered our people by building their capacities both in Nigeria and abroad”, he said.

    Ogbogbo called on Alaibe to contest on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to enable him continue with the developmental strides of Dickson.

    “Timi Alaibe should contest on the platform of PDP because that is the party of our people, so that he will continue with the good works of Seriake Dickson who has the love and passion for the development of the Ijaw nation”, he said.

     

  • Commission probes killings in Bayelsa varsity community

    The six-member Commission of Inquiry set up by the Bayelsa State government to look into the civil disturbances that claimed some lives in Amassoma, host community of the Niger Delta University (NDU), has commenced sitting.
    It was gathered that the commission at the weekend continued hearing on the crisis at at the Multi-Door Court House, High Court Complex, Ovom, Yenagoa, the state capital.
    The Bayelsa State Goveror Seriake Dickson inaugurated the commission following  the crisis that engulfed Amassoma, host community of the state-owned Niger Delta University (NDU).
    The commission was mandated to ascertain the immediate and remote causes of the civil disturbances that occurred in and around Amassoma.
    During the riot, about five persons were reportedly killed and many persons injured  in the violent clash which occurred between security operatives and indigenes of the university town in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.
    The governor gave the commission a nine-point terms of reference including the identification of the perpetrators of the unlawful acts and their sponsors and to determine the extent of damage to property, both public as well as private, if any during the incident.
    He also urged the commission to recommend measures aimed at averting future occurrences of such incidents within and around the NDU and its host communities, as well as make any other recommendations that might be deemed fit in the circumstances.
    The Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry, Mr. Michael Zuokumor, Deputy Inspector General of Police (retd.), said relevant stakeholders turned up for the hearing on Monday.
    He said some persons submitted their memoranda including the Vice-Chancellor, NDU, Prof. Samuel Edoumiekumo.
    Zuokumor added that the commission was not going to work on memoranda alone but would take oral evidences to ascertain the truth of what transpired during the incident.
    He said: “There were some disturbances in Amassoma community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. The road to the Niger Delta University was blocked; there was so much violence and the university was seriously looted.

    Read also: Obasanjo’s medical tourism in Bayelsa

    “From what learnt, lives were even lost. The essence of this commission is a fact-finding one to look into the issues that happened. The commission is not to indict anybody but to ascertain what happened so that we can do whatever we can prevent such from happening again in the state.
    “We have received memoranda from the university and from other persons; we do not work on memoranda alone. This is fact-finding; we also take oral evidences. The strict rules of criminal trial does not take place here since it is fact-finding. But in order for people not to mislead us, they are meant to swear to an oath.”