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Tag: Dickson

  • Makarfi slams Dickson’s proposal on PDP crisis

    Makarfi slams Dickson’s proposal on PDP crisis

    Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caretaker Committee Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has criricised as “selfish” Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson’s proposal on the party’s crisis.

    According to him, the governor took a unilateral decision against the unanimous proposal drafted at a meeting of 11 PDP governors with former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    He said Dickson’s proposal, submitted to court-backed chairman Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, is a mischievous act that does not bode well for the party.

    The former Kaduna State Governor spoke in Kaduna at the weekend when he visited the secretariat of the State Correspondents Chapel of NUJ, which was gutted by fire last week.

    The former Kaduna State Governor said: “Just a week before Governor Dickson submitted his report to Modu Sheriff, the 11 PDP governors including himself; met with former President Goodluck Jonathan and came out with a unanimous proposal on the way out of the crisis in the party. Then, he (Dickson) pulled out and made a proposal, which he presented to Modu Sheriff.

    “Well, for us the issues in the PDP are not just about conducting convention, they are fundamental. How do you go for convention if you don’t address these fundamental issues and achieve reconciliation? You have not talked about the problems, you have not sorted them out and you are more concerned about a committee to organise convention.  That means you will go and do convention while the crisis is still on.

    “Governor Dickson was at the meeting of the governors and the former President where they came out with a unanimous proposal, so, how can he pull himself out a week after and make his own proposal? If he had anything contrary to what they agreed on, why didn’t he suggest it at that meeting? It didn’t make sense. Of 11 governors, you pulled yourself out and you made a separate proposal and presented to Modu Sheriff.

    “The proposal by the former President and the 11 governors was presented to us, to the BOT Chairman and to Modu Sheriff. If anything is going to change, they should go back to former President Jonathan and the other governors to discuss and review the responses from us, from BOT, from Modu Sheriff.

    “But, he spoke with me informally and said he was bringing his proposal, which I never saw. He called the former President and they were to meet on Wednesday, then he also called the BOT Chairman, who gave him appointment for Wednesday, only for him to go and submit his proposal to Modu Sheriff to go ahead and conduct the convention. And that is what Sheriff has been looking for. Now, he got somebody asking him to go ahead and conduct convention.

    “So, what is Governor Dickson up to? I don’t know, but it is definitely an agenda not good for the PDP. His proposal is even a breach of the Court of Appeal judgment, because he is suggesting going for convention in June. Court of Appeal said you cannot hold convention until August this year based on the tenure it recognised”, he explained.

    Makarfi said, even the Sheriff group is not complying with the Court of Appeal judgment, as he (Sheriff) is still parading himself around with party officials he single-handedly appointed after the 21st May, 2016, when the court ordered that the status quo before 21st May should be reverted to.

    He however said the way out of the PDP crisis was for all national officials to resign their positions, sign indemnity not to contest such resignation in court, then form a committee, consisting of members from his and Sheriff’s groups to organise a transparent convention, where there would be a level playing field for all the groups.

    He said the PDP despite its crisis has perfected its strategies, which he said they are keeping to their hearts, ahead of the gubernatorial elections in Ekiti, Anambra and Osun later in the year.

  • Makarfi angry with Dickson over convention report

    Makarfi angry with Dickson over convention report

    A deal, which Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders banked on to restore their troubled party has collapsed.

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson submitted a reconciliation report to the court-backed National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff. Dickson is sympathetic to Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee.

    He told Sheriff that for peace to reign, a convention had been tentatively planned for June 30, with some conditions, if Sheriff would lead it.

    Yesterday, Chairman of the Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi , expressed displeasure with Dickson’s action.

    Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose insisted that he and his state’s chapter had nothing to do with Sheriff.

    He said he believed that the Supreme Court would break the ice of the leadership crisis, after which “we will know what to do”

    He spoke at the International Women Day event in Ado-Ekiti.

    The Senate Caucus of the  PDP  also yesterday turned down an invitation extended to it by Sheriff and opted for wider consultation in resolving the leadership tussle..

    Chairman of the caucus, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, told reporters after a meeting of the caucus, that Sheriff extended a letter, dated March 6 to the caucus for a meeting.

    He assured that the caucus would continue to push for an out of court settlement regarding the leadership tussle. He however said the meeting would be a better option

    Makarfi’s anger at Dickson stemmed from the publicity given the governor’s presentation of his committee’s report Sheriff on Tuesday.

    Among others, the report contains recommendations for the conduct of a national convention, tentatively fixed for June 30.

    In a statement yesterday, Makarfi faulted the Bayelsa governor for making the report public without consultation with stakeholders.

    According to him, the governor spurned advice to circulate the report and consult widely with key organs and stakeholders, adding that the report was still subject to review and amendment.

    Makarfi said Dickson presented him with a draft of the report and that he had advised the governor to ensure proper consultation and effect some changes before making it public.

    “I am shocked and disappointed that the Governor of Bayelsa made a public presentation of a purported report approved or endorsed by us and other stakeholders as reported.

    “He met me yesterday (Tuesday) and I pointed out the problems with his proposals, that it will go against even the Court of Appeal Judgement.

    “At the end, I told him as Caretaker Committee, whatever is approved by the organs of the party that we represent, we will work with and I advised him to revert back to his colleagues and other organs. But this is what we are seeing.

    “Be that as it may, the Committee never saw any draft report even though he promised coming with it. In any case, as personal advice, I referred him back to the organs of the party and the Goodluck Jonathan Committee. There was nothing before us from organs of the party to accept or reject.”

    The said report had conceded to Sheriff powers to preside over the proposed convention and to select 12 members into the Convention Planning Committee, in consultation with party stakeholders.

    Among those listed as members of the Convention Planning Committee are seven governors, seven senators, 12 members of the House of Reps, six members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) and six national vice chairmen.

    Others are 18 zonal chairmen, six speakers of state assemblies; six former governors, former presiding officers of the National Assembly, six prominent women leaders, six youth leaders and six former ministers.

    Also yesterday,some  members of the Kaduna State chapter of the PDP stormed the national secretariat to pledge their loyalty to Sheriff.

    The supporters, who came under the aegis of Zone III PDP Solidarity Group, said Sheriff had demonstrated an uncommon respect for the rule of law. Doing otherwise, they said, would have put the party in greater jeopardy.

    The leader of the group, Mr. David Kajid, observed that there had been surreptitious moves by some groups and individuals to further divide the party following Sheriff’s victory at the Court of Appeal.

    He called party supporters and aggrieved members to respect the rule of law and also appealed to the leadership under Sheriff to explore dialogue and peaceful resolution of contentious issues.

    Sheriff called on members to join him in building a stronger PDP, adding that partisan politics required unity to thrive.

    “I want to make it clear that in the Appeal Court judgment, there is no winner and no loser. Politics needs unity. I pledge to carry everybody along and I am willing to work with everybody. I call on other members of the party to join me in building the party to a greater height,” the chairman said.

  • Make sacrifices for PDP, Dickson tells chieftains

    Make sacrifices for PDP, Dickson tells chieftains

    Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) Standing Committee on Reconciliation, Seriake Dickson, has appealed to party leaders to make sacrifices to revive the party.
    The Bayelsa governor said his committee has started embarking on a wide consultation with party leaders/ critical stakeholders to build consensus and confidence before holding an all-inclusive unity national convention to save the party from disintegration.
    Dickson spoke shortly after the meeting of his committee last week in Abuja.  In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media Relations, Francis Agbo, Dickson begged PDP leaders to bury their differences and work for rediscovery of the party.
    While stressing the PDP is the only political party capable of accommodating all shades of interests in the country, the governor argued that a political party is like a horse that can go to war only when it is strong.
    He said: ‘‘Let the revival of our great party be of paramount interest to all and sundry for we can only further our political interests on a strong political platform.”
    “We have the potentials to revive the party but we can only do this if we subsume our divergent interests under the umbrella.’’
    Dickson said Nigerians are waiting for the PDP to bounce back and play the role of a virile opposition party.
    He warned that anything short of this will be a disservice to the people and the founding fathers of the party.

  • Is Dickson on course in Bayelsa?

    Is Dickson on course in Bayelsa?

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson’s media aide Daniel Iworiso-Markson highlights the achievements of his boss in the last five years and his action plan for the remaining part of his second term in office.

    In Bayelsa State, February 14 is celebrated as the ‘Restoration Day.’ Since February 14, 2012, it as been celebrated as the begining of a new dawn when Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson was sworn-in alongside his deputy, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (rtd), as governor and deputy governor respectively.
    One significant development on that auspicious day at the Isaac Boro Square, Peace Park, Yenagoa when the governor took the oath of office and oath of allegiance was the manner in which he responded to being saddled with the responsibility of repositioning the state back to its lost glory.
    Earlier, while declaring his intention to contest for the number one office in the state, Dickson stated: “We need someone who has the unique understanding of the issues and priorities of the time who can rally support in the interest and welfare of the people. I know that several families have lost young and dear ones, several families have lost their means of livelihood and businesses, the educational dreams of our young people have been truncated, our commonwealth squandered, our collective psyche traumatized and our future mortgaged.”
    He stated further that to restore the future of the state he had set up a formidable campaign appropriately called Restoration 2012 with the theme, Our Bayelsa, Our Pride and promised to establish an Economic Advisory Council which will lay the foundation to produce a blueprint to revamp the local economy focusing on commerce, small and medium scale enterprises, agriculture, energy and tourism.
    Also, in his inugural speech, Dickson stated: “My government will undertake fundamental reform of the governance culture to emphasize transparency, accountability, due process and value re-orientation by all institutions and functionaries of government beginning with my humble self.”
    To ensure transparency and accountability, Governor Dickson took the bull by the horns and sent a bill to the Bayelsa State House of Assembly making it a law to hold monthly transparency briefings where he would tell Bayelsans the state of their finances and by the provisions of the law, he is liable to be impeached if he fails to hold transparency briefing for three months – this the governor has held in high esteem by fulfilling his promise to the citizenry.
    Since 2012, the governor has reeled out the account of the state which is the first of its kind in Nigeria by telling them how much comes in and how it is expended, an action that has given the common man on the street a sense of belonging by knowing what is happening to the account of the state.
    Dickson, in the true spirit of restoration, saw the need to restore the security of life and property in the state as a paramount issue which he tackled head on by introducing Operation Doo Akpo to replace the deadly and dreaded Operation Famou Tangbe which was introduced by his predecessor.
    Through Operation Doo Akpo, peace and security was restored in the state, dignity, harmony and trust were also restored, night life that had eluded the people for years was also restored and today, one can walk the streets of Yenagoa without fear of molestation, hence Bayelsa is adjudged the safest state in the South-South region.
    As part of efforts to strengthen this vital aspect of security in the state, the State Executive Council had in its 70th meeting approved the provision of 50 Hilux vehicles to Operation Doo Akpo to effectively police the state in order to rid all neighbourhoods of criminal elements.
    Governor Dickson also spread his security tentacles along the waterways by re-inventing the Bayelsa Volunteers in order to protect travelers and traders along the numerous creeks and rivers in the state from the activities of pirates, kidnappers and other criminally minded people.
    In the area of infrastructure, Governor Dickson promised to turn the state into a huge construction site and he kept that promise in the first two years of his administration: he is changing the landscape of Yenagoa, the capital through the dualization of several roads and construction of new ones as well as continuing with the drive to hit the Atlantic Ocean on three fronts at Brass in the Bayelsa East Senatorial District, Koluama in the Bayelsa Central Senatorial District and Agge in Bayelsa West Senatorial District.
    One of the most important infrastructural projects embarked upon by the Restoration Government is the construction of the International Cargo Airport near Amassoma which is nearing completion with a runway of 3.5 kilometres comparable to only three airports in the country namely, the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Kano International Airport and Abuja International Airport.
    Some of the other laudable road projects started by the restoration government include the dualization of Federal Medical Centre Road, Road Safety Road, Water Board Road, Diete Spiff Road, Isaac Boro Expressway, Azikoro Road, Eastern Ring Road, the link road from Mbiama – Yenagoa Road to Gloryland Drive at Igbogene, the Igbogene Bridge, the flyover at the NNPC Mega Station and Tombia Bridge.
    In the housing sector, Governor Dickson has done remarkably well in building the Traditional Rulers Council Secretariat, five new Secretariat Annexes to accommodate more ministries and parastatals, Police Officers Mess and many more including the buildings for archives and monuments and a music school in addition to housing estates in some local government areas.
    A firm believer in education to change the fortunes of the people, Dickson embarked on several infrastructural projects to transform primary, secondary and tertiary education in hundreds of communities across the eight local government areas of the state.
    The projects include rehabilitation and reconstruction of primary schools with headmasters quarters and room for information communication technology, constituency secondary schools with boarding facilities and the establishment of tertiary institutions as well as vocational institutions like the International School of Tourism and Hospitality.
    As well as giving life back to the once scrapped Bayelsa State College of Arts and Science (BYCAS), he relocated the state College of Education from Okpoama to Sagbama and named it Isaac Jasper Boro College of Education for effective take off and now Africa University, Toru Orua while working assiduously to strengthen other existing universities like the Niger Delta University (NDU), Wilberforce Island, School of Health Technology, Otuogidi and the School of Nursing, Tombia.
    The government recently approved an annual amount of N10 billion to be invested in the development of infrastructure in all its tertiary institutions top among which is a befitting Senate building to be constructed at the Niger Delta University at the cost of N2.7 billion.
    In the area of agriculture, Bayelsa has comparative advantage in the aquaculture and the governor revamping the sector to create jobs and diversify the economy of the state to create multiple income sources by building the 500-pond fish farm at Yenigue which is in the process of being replicated in all the local government areas of the state.
    The 240 tonnes per day cassava processing mill is nearly completed which will add impetus to the production of cassava for both domestic and commercial uses, the Bayelsa Oil Palm Estate management has been handed over to a private concern for improved profit while efforts are on to harness the great potentials in rice production.
    Another key area in which the restoration government is excelling is the electrification of some communities especially across the Ikoli River (Obogoro, Akaba, Ogu and Famgbe) which had been neglected by previous administrations and the extension of the national grid to Sagbama Local Government Area as well as the building of substations in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area to bring governance closer to the people.
    In order to make quality healthcare service available to the people, the Restoration Government embarked on the building of four referral hospitals in Sagbama, Ekeremor, Nembe and Kaiama which will be commissioned soon in addition to several cottage hospitals and health centres in the rural areas.
    As part of efforts to harness medical tourism in the state and country, Governor Dickson built the state of the art Diagnostic Centre which ranks among the best in Nigeria and a forensic laboratory which is one of the three presently operating in the country, built residential quarters for medical doctors at the 350-Bed Hospital; the state government also embarked on the construction of residential quarters to house 120 interns at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa and the Government House Hospital which has both private and public wings.
    As a man of integrity, Dickson brought innovation into the politics of Bayelsa State where he preaches peace and does not see politics as a do or die affair, urging the people on the need for continuity to enable the Restoration Government deliver on its mandate to the people which saw him win a second term in office.
    Of paramount interest are the ongoing efforts to reform the state civil service by reducing the workforce and make it more result oriented while embarking on the development of the human capacity of the workers through regular training.
    In a bid to pull the state out of the present financial quagmire, Dickson is reengineering the state’s ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) not to remain cost centres but centres of service and profits for the benefit of the state and unborn generations.
    Five years into the administration of a great son of Ijaw land, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, the Oforumapepe which is by interpretation, the Great White Shark, the man who delved into the Bayelsa State river of politics where no ordinary man dare to swim, the man who fought six battles and won them all, is actually touching every sector in the state ranging from security, economy, agriculture, infrastructure, education, politics and human capacity development amongst others.
    The fifth anniversary occasion on Tuesday February 14 will formally have the following projects being commissioned; the new Governors office, the
    Integrated security command and control center, the? Government House hospital complex, Executive helipad and access road as well as the Diagnostic center.

    Others are the Development partners research center, Civil servants clinic, the Drug mart,
    House officers / Interns quarters, ?Secretariat Annexes, Cultural Boulevard, Ox-bow lake pavilion,
    33KV line electrification of 5 Atissa communities across Ekole creek, the Chief Melford Okilo medical quarters, police station and restaurant.
    Also to be commissioned are; 33KV line electrification of Ox-bow tourist facilities, AIT/Sanni Abacha road, Transparency plaza,
    Referral hospital Sagbama, 33KV electrification of Tarakiri Rural development area communities,
    33KV line electrification of Sampou and Agbere communities, the NYSC Orientation camp phase one, Orubiri, Club house, Sagbama 1×7.5 MVA injection substation and School of Midwifery, Tombia.
    The rest are; 33KV line electrification of Amassoma community, Ground breaking for Senate building at NDU Amassoma, Flagging off of internal road construction at NDU, Upgrade of Nembe 5MVA, unmanned injection substation to 7.5MVA at Otatubo, Nembe National grammar school, Fish farm at Yenegwe, Ijaw National Academy, Poultry farm at Ebedebiri and Referral hospital Kaiama.

  • Dickson…Five years after

    Since 2012 when Henry Seriake Dickson was sworn in as the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, February 14 has been a special day for the people of the State. Being the day he took the oath of office during which he promised to rule Bayelsa State with honesty, love and care, people often look forward to the day, to celebrate his achievements and Valentine’s day.

    This year’s celebration is unique and different for several reasons. First, it is coming after the afterglow of the governor’s well-deserved victory both at the polls and at the Supreme Court. Secondly, this anniversary marks the end of his fifth year in office as the Governor of Bayelsa State, just as it marks the anniversary of his first year in office for his second tenure. Also, this year’s celebration is remarkable for the number of projects listed for commissioning. Planned to last for six days, according to the Governor’s Special Adviser on Media Relations, Francis Agbo, the commissioning will cover projects in various sectors including health, education, roads and bridges. The projects are so many that they would have to be commissioned in batches.

    The foundation for the phenomenal successes recorded by the Dickson administration was laid early in 2012. The Valentine Governor, as he fondly called by his political associates, had promised to regularly render account of monies accruing to the State from the Federation account. He followed it up with an executive Bill, which was passed into law by the Bayesla State House of Assembly. The law stipulates that the Governor of Bayelsa State must always render account of all monies accruing to the State, including the Federation account, to the people of the State. Governor Dickson is the only State Chief executive who chose, through an Act of Parliament, to compulsorily render account of monies accruing to the State.

    Dickson was also desirous of creating an enabling environment for his development programmes by ensuring that politicians whether in the ruling party or in the opposition, are given room to operate without hindrance. He believed that only a turmoil-free political landscape could guarantee the speedy growth and development of Bayelsa State. He therefore liberalized the political space by allowing opposition politicians the freedom to thrive. Even when members of the opposition party criticized him, he simply laughed over it. That was how he virtually eliminated political violence, which was the rule in the state before he came to power. The height of that political tolerance was seen in the build up to the 2015 general elections when he made available to the All Progressives Congress  (APC) in the state and President Muhammdu Buhari, the state owned Samson Siasia Stadium for their campaign at great cost to his political career!

    Thereafter, Governor Dickson embarked on what are now fondly referred to as the legacy projects, in education, health, roads construction, the hospitality industry, religion and industrialization. Education was his first port of call. Having witnessed at close quarters how difficult it was for Bayelsans to access education, he introduced free and compulsory education at the primary and secondary school levels. According to his Media department, the governor  also spent about N40billion on education to build over 30 first ever model boarding secondary schools in the 24 state constituencies, as well as 400 primary schools with headmaster/staff quarters in many parts of the state. In addition, government gave primary school pupils and secondary school students free textbooks, uniforms, sandals, bags, and writing materials. Government also picked the bills for students registering for WAEC, NECO, and JAMB examinations. Part of the N40billion was spent on scholarships to enable Bayelsans and other Ijo-speaking peoples study for graduate and post-graduate degrees in some of the best of universities in Nigeria and the world.

    Dickson also tackled teacher education, which had been neglected for many years due to inconsistent government policies. The absence of training schools for teachers, he learnt, was responsible for the fall in the standard of education in the country. To change the situation, he established a Teachers’ Training Institute and equipped it with modern teaching facilities for the training and re-training of teachers. The deliberate efforts to reposition education in the State have been so phenomenal that by 2014, Bayelsa State became the fourth best- performing state with a pass rate of 52.83 per cent as 34, 242 students scored five credits and above, including Mathematics and English in the West African Examinations Council results.

    Dickson also made dramatic changes in the health sector, introducing health institutions that were thought impossible for the State. His desire, as he often said, is to enable every Bayelsan have direct access to quality health facilities. It was in line with that resolution that he built a referral hospital in the headquarters of each local government area. He also built a Diagnostic Center in Yenagoa, which has been acclaimed as world-class and one of the best in the country. Apart from a modern clinic that is attached to Government House in Yenagoa, Governor Dickson also built a drug mart, conceived to flush out fake drugs from the market!

    The construction and rehabilitation of roads and bridges also received the attention of the governor. It will be recalled that prior to his emergence as Governor, Bayelsa was derisively described as a one-road State. With his resolution to change the face of roads and bridges in the State, it did not take long before Governor Dickson turned Bayelsa State into a construction site with the construction of roads in various parts of the State.  Among the outstanding road projects are  the ring road, which allows the Yenagoa-bound visitor from Port Harcourt to go through Igbogene, thus avoiding the hassles of traffic gridlock in the capital city; construction of the first-ever flyover in Yenagoa, which was named Restoration   Flyover; dualization of the Isaac Adaka Boro Express Way in Yenagoa into three lanes; construction of the Ogobiri/Toru Ebeni bridge, which is the longest in the state, connecting Sagbama with  the Southern Ijo local governments; and the construction of one major road in each of the three Senatorial Districts in the State. Also outstanding was the boost the restoration government gave to the construction of the Ogbia-Nembe road in Bayelsa East Senatorial District. The construction of that road has given the residents of Nembe the first opportunity of driving their cars from Yenagoa to their various homes.

    In the tourism sector, Governor Dickson realised quite early that it required the expertise of trained hands to make any serious impact globally. To attain that goal, he established the School of Tourism and Catering, the School of Music and the School of Languages to train people who could either man the tourism industry in the State, start their own businesses or seek relevant employment in other parts of the world. It was to also tap into the tourism industry that Governor Dickson established a Museum in Yenagoa. An Entertainment and Tourist centre is presently under construction at the Oxbow Lake area of Yenagoa, just as an 18-hole international Golf Course/Estate and a world-class Polo Ground and Club are at various stages of construction. The Governor also ordered the rehabilitation of tourist and recreational sites across the state, including the Whiteman’s Grave at Akassa in Brass Local Government Area.

    The Countryman Governor also built four state secretariat annexes, a permanent Secretariat for members of the Bayelsa Traditional Council and a special court for Alternative Dispute Resolution, which has drastically reduced the volume of litigations in regular courts.

    To shore up the agricultural base and the industrial sector, Dickson established a commercial Cassava Starch Processing Factory in Ebidebri, in Sagbama, which would create 30, 000 jobs when fully operational.

    Dickson often described Bayelsa as ‘‘the world’s best kept secret.’’ The world appears to have discovered the state as it now attracts major national and global events. The most memorable events that have taken place in Yenagoa are the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria contest, Miss Century contest, the annual Nigeria Editors Conference, the annual Fashion Festival, the African Movie Academy Awards, and the Global Jazz Festival. Notable international figures, including Jesse Jackson, have been to Yenagoa to savor its new flavor. So far, the Valentine Governor has lived his vision of bringing the world to Bayelsa, and taking Bayelsa to the world and he can only get better if he remains focused on the job!

     

    • Agbo is a journalist based in Lagos and wrote in via onojagbo@yahoo.com
  • Osinbajo’s visit to Bayelsa unites Dickson, Sylva

    Osinbajo’s visit to Bayelsa unites Dickson, Sylva

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson and his predecessor, Chief Timipre Sylva, at the weekend met for the first time since the controversial 2015/2016 governorship elections.

    The meeting of the two political foes happened during Friday’s visit of Acting President Yemi Osinbajo and his team on their visit to the Niger Delta region.

    There was apprehension in the camps of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) when news filtered in that Sylva was on Osinbajo’s entourage.

    Residents were worried about the likely outcome of a meeting between Dickson and Sylva, who had remained political foes after the elections.

    The worries were believed not to be out of place, considering the hate, jabs and tantrums that characterised electioneering and political actions during the poll and lingered months after.

    People recalled how Dickson, the candidate of PDP, described Sylva, the standard bearer of APC, as a “guy man”, while Sylva called the governor a “bushman”.

    But when they met at the weekend, their attitudes betrayed their supporters’ expectations.

    It was a dramatic moment as Sylva to shook hands with Dickson, who exchanged pleasantries with members of Osinbajo’s team at the heliport of the Government House in Yenagoa, the state capital.

    With a broad smile, Dickson told Sylva: “Countryman! Countryman!!” and warmly shook hands with him as Sylva returned the gesture with an infectious smile.

    Dickson turned to someone standing beside Sylva, saying: “Your friend (Sylva) is running away from me.”

    But Sylva replied: “I am not running away from you.”

    Everybody laughed.

    Some Ijaw leaders were happy at the development and thanked Osinbajo during a town hall meeting at the Banquet Hall in Yenagoa for uniting the two gladiators.

    Before presenting his council’s demands to Osinbajo, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide President Udengs Eradiri dwelt on the peace between Sylva and Dickson as one of the blessings of the visit.

    The IYC chief said it was remarkable the visit brought together the state chairmen of APC and PDP as well as Ijaw people from various political divides.

    He said: “I want to, on behalf of the Ijaw nation, thank your Excellency, the Acting President, for bringing peace to Bayelsa. This is the first political leader that will bring together two leaders of the Ijaw land.

    “Ijaw people across various political divides sit together. We thank you because our state really needs to be healed politically. Thank you for bringing peace.”

    Even Masters of Ceremony (MC) Ebi Abi noted that it was the first time APC and PDP state chairmen sat together.

    Dickson created more excitement among the crowd with his speech.

    He said: “Join me to welcome my immediate past predecessor. I was glad when I saw him at the heliport while waiting to receive the Acting President.”

    Addressing Sylva, he said: “My dear brother, since the end of our campaign, this is the first time I am seeing you. It is good to see that you are looking very well and handsome. That is the spirit of the new Bayelsa.”

  • ‘Dickson has restored security in Bayelsa’

    ‘Dickson has restored security in Bayelsa’

    Bayelsa State Commissioner for Information and Strategy Jonathan Obuebite spoke with EMMANUEL OLADESU in Lagos on the first year anniversary of Governor Seriake Dickson’s second term, the security agenda of the state, the management of government/labour relations and how the state is coping with the economic recession. 

    It is a year into Governor Seriake Dickson’s second term. How far has it been?

    One year, how far? Ordinarily, because of the recession that we are into, governments across the states have been affected. But, in Bayelsa State, we have fared well. Within the one year, we have been able to complete so many projects. The good thing about the governor’s style of administration is that we made provisions for project funding and also for recurrent expenditure. Government decided that, based on the current realities, we had to cut our emoluments as government appointees. What we are getting now is half of what the commissioners used to get. That cut across all political appointees. Through that, we have been able to save some money which should have been used for personnel cost for political appointees and we channeled the money into project funding. That has reduced the recurrent expenditure.

    That’s a drop in the ocean. How much has the government been able to save through that?

    I think we have not saved enough from that. But, the number of political appointees has drastically reduced. That is the beauty of it. When you know you don’t have, you have to cut your coat according to your size. Now, we cut our coat according to the material available. So, in the last one year, we have been battling with a lot of issues and we are able to get it right in the sense that we were able to complete important projects. We were able to complete the new Governor’s Office, a multi-billion naira project. Also, we have been able to complete the Government House Hospital Complex this year. It has both the private and the public wing. It can be accessed from two frontiers. Also, we have been able to complete the House Officers’ Quarters, and the Federal Medical Centre, which is not a state project, but a Federal Government Hospital. But, since it is Bayelsa State and there is the need for that accommodation, we had to build it for them. We were able to complete the Diagnostic Centre; furnished and functional. We also have the forensic equipment within the same complex.

    What is unique about the Forensic Centre?

    It is unique. It is about the sixth we are going to have all over the country. Nigerians don’t need o travel out again for it. It is even good for security. It helps in curbing fraud and perjury. The centre can uncover the cause of the death of a person, if someone wants to attribute it to another cause. It is highly needed. The police work with it. It is very helpful to society. It is very important. It helps the society.

    What are other projects?

    Within the one year, we have been able to build the Civil Servants’ Hospital. We call it a clinic designated for civil servants. All civil servants go there and get treated. Where they are to pay N10 outside, they just pay three naira because they are civil servants. What they need is to show their identity that they are civil servants. Then, we have also completed the Cultural Boulevard. It has four different structures standing on their own. We have the Gabriel Okara Cultural Centre, the school of language studies.  We have also completed the Osborn Lake Pavilion. It is a place that will house about 3,000 persons at a go; with a VIP stand. It is a place of cultural activities. We want tourism to thrive in the state. We have competed the five hundred pounds acqua far. Each has a size of 50 by 70 metres. That is to tell you how big that place will be. It will take you three hours to go round. It has a processing factory, a conference hall, a restaurant. It is a village of its own. It was started and completed within the one year. The AIT/Sani Abacha Road was completed. It has two bridges. It is a dual carriage road, not a single lane road. We completed the Igbogini by-pass, linking the New Gate Road. We have done electrification in 50 communities across the three senatorial districts; in Sagbama, in Amasoma, where we have the Niger Delta University. The university now has a good power supply. The university cannot run with a generator alone. We now separate the school from Amasoma community. We have completed the Ijaw National Academy. It is going to be one of the best schools in Nigeria built by a state government. One thousand students will be in the boarding house. Al the beds and hostel facilities are provided for. We have completed the 11 boarding schools that the government has initiated. We have one in each of the eight local governments. For Southern Ijaw; Yenegoa and Sagbama, we have more than one because of the population. Then, we have completed the Tourism Institute. It has started functioning with students already admitted.

    How many projects are you commissioning during the one year anniversary?

    We are commissioning 34 projects. I don’t think you find that anywhere now in this period because of the recession. That is a cumulative of projects done from the beginning of his tenure from 2012. Some should have been commissioned. Most of the projects have a life span in terms of completion.

    What’s the cost of these projects?

    It is more expensive to construct roads in the coastal areas. In Lagos and the East, if you use N300 million to build a road, you will need almost N1 billion to build the same road. The studies have shown this. The oil companies will tell you because they also do social responsibility. Bayelsa State is more riverine than Rivers State. It is more delta than Delta State. That is why Bayelsa is the epic centre of the entire Niger Delta crisis. Bayelsa is the headquarter of the Ijaw Nation. Every Ijaw man has a root in Bayelsa. We have Ijaw in Ondo State, Edo, Delta, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River. That is the fusion. If you look at the map of Nigeria, you will see what Bayelsa is carrying. Because the majority of the oil is found in the Niger Delta and the Ijaw area of the Niger Delta, the agitation is high among our people. They feel that the resources is taken from their area are used to develop other areas.

    Could you shed light on the security agenda of the administration?

    Bayelsa was adjudged the safest state in Nigeria. But, before the election, it became the worst state in terms of security because of the inflow of hooligans and thugs imported into the state. They were there before while the former governor was in the saddle. But, when Dickson came, he granted amnesty to the cultists. Then, the anti-cult law was passed. From that point, it means nobody will entertain cultism and crime from anybody. Moving forward, we now have the status of the most peaceful state in the country. But, that we lost within the spate of six or seven months. After the election, it became a major problem because they came and they did not succeed in winning the election. They left, but they left these criminals behind. It became a major problem for the Bayelsa State government. We had three-minute response rate before from Operation DOO-AKPO. Now, working with the security agencies, the governor was able to curtail those criminal activities. As I speak, all of them have left the state. There was an issue outside the state capital; the vandalisation of pipelines. Most of them were politically motivated before the Avengers came. You know Avengers declared me a persona non grata and threatened to kill me. They gave an ultimatum that they will kill me because of my openness and because of the government’s stand  on their activities. It was published in most of the national dailies. I was the person they said they were going to kill. If his commissioner for information could be threatened, that is to tell you government’s non-tolerance for crime and criminality. So, we fought seriously. Today, I must tell you, we have got it right again. Our crime rate response is three minutes. Some few days ago, the Assistant Inspector General of Police visited Bayelsa State and said Bayelsa State is now the most peaceful state in the Niger Delta and he also wished that other states should toe the line of Bayelsa State. Also, few days ago, the military intelligent officers that came to Bayelsa State and visited the Security Command Centre in Bayelsa State. Indeed, they also affirmed that it was a good thing that those facilities could be found here and that they can only be found in advanced countries.

    But, should there be no security in a state ruled by a governor who is a former police officer and a deputy governor who is a retired naval officer? How does that combination translate into security effectiveness?

    That is the beauty of it. The governor is a former police officer. The deputy governor is a retired Real Admiral. You can see the packaging. Because of whom they are, they enjoy a smooth relationship with the security agencies. Because of that, they have been able to provide what they need to do their job successfully. And that synergy between the governor, and the deputy governor and the serving security chiefs in the state has been helpful. We owe this to them because they are able to key in the state’s dream of making sure that there is no crime and criminality. When a security chief is posted to the state, the governor will tell him to deal with the criminal according to the law, irrespective of the person’s political tendency or leaning, and without political bias. It means if you are a member of the ruling party in the state, the PDP, you will be dealt with if you are found wanting. There is no alternative to that. He sings it like a song. Every member of the Restoration Government is guided by that. In everything in life, you need leadership. We have the right leadership when it comes to security and infrastructural development. The governor does not play with it. There are pockets of thieves. Even, in America, you find them, They are isolated cases. During that period of election, the governor’s younger sister was kidnapped for six months. He refused to pay ransom.

  • Bayelsa to collaborate with CIBN for benefit, says Dickson

    Bayelsa to collaborate with CIBN for benefit, says Dickson

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has expressed his administration’s commitment to partner Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) to explore areas of comparative advantage for mutual benefits.

    He expressed the commitment in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, in Yenagoa.

    Iworiso-Markson quoted the governor as having expressed government’s readiness when he received the President and Chairman of the Council of CIBN, Prof. Segun Ajibola and other members of CIBN at the Government House, Yenagoa.

    Describing CIBN as strategic to the management of the national economy, the governor said his administration would collaborate with the organisation to showcase the potential of the state.

    He identified crude oil, gas and power generation as areas of comparative advantage the state was endowed with.

    Dickson hailed CIBN for its programmes and other initiatives for capacity building in the financial sector and its decision to establish its presence.

    He said the Chief Economic Adviser, Mr. Duate Iyabi, would liaise with the institute on ways to improve the public financial systems and create opportunities that would be beneficial to the two parties.

    Ajibola told the governor CIBN planned to establish its secretariat and examination centre in Bayelsa.

    According to him, the examination centre, when operational, will enable people in the state and neighbouring states to write the institute’s examinations.

    Ajibola said the institute had been mandated to host the 22nd edition of the World Conference of Banking Institutes in the country this year.

    He said the conference would be a launching pad to exhibit Bayelsa’s and the rest of the country’s investment opportunities and tourist attractions.

    “This is the first time the country will be hosting such a conference and we solicit government’s assistance in that direction.”

  • Dickson donates 1,200 hectares for grazing

    Dickson donates 1,200 hectares for grazing

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has donated 1,200 hectares of land to herdsmen for grazing and other cattle-related activities.

    The governor said his administration gave out the land to stop conflicts between herdsmen and farmers.

    He warned herdsmen against bearing arms, saying the government would arrest and prosecute any of them found with guns and other weapons.

    The state’s Cattle Ranches Management and Control Committee (CRMCC) Chairman Shitu Mohammed confirmed the governor’s gestures at the weekend when he met with herdsmen, butchers and farmers in Yenagoa, the state capital.

    Mohammed thanked the government for releasing the land, adding that the gesture would aid enduring peace between herdsmen and farmers.

    The chairman said the government set up the committee to foster a cordial relationship between herdsmen and the residents.

    He said the state had not recorded caught any herdsman for rape and killings because the committee worked with the government and security agencies to forestall such crimes.

    Mohammed said the committee put in place a quick response mechanism to address issues between herdsmen and farmers.

    The chairman urged the residents to see government’s provisions of ranches as a good gesture, adding that it would create jobs for the people and enhance tourism development.

    Also, Dickson urged new Police Commissioner Amba Asuquo not to relent in the fight against crimes.

  • We have reduced Bayelsa wage bill by N1bn, says Dickson

    Bayelsa State governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, at the weekend, said his administration had so far reduced the state’s wage bill by N1bn.

    Dickson said various reforms and verifications he introduced to tackle payroll fraud in the civil service yielded the result.

    He also said the state received N9.7bn from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) in December 2016.

    He said that the disclosure was in line with his administration’s policy of transparency, prudence and accountability.

    Breaking down the figure in Yenagoa, the state capital, the governor explained that out of the money, N1.16bn came from statutory allocation, N3.2bn from 13% derivation; N699million, Value Added Tax (VAT) and N2.4bn Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT).

    Other sources were budget support to state, N1.111bn, foreign exchange differential, N1.2bn and refunds on overpayment, N57.5million.

    Dickson said that N2.3bn was deducted at source by FAAC to service bond obligation, foreign loans, commercial agriculture credit scheme 1 and 2 and salary bailouts to state.

    The governor added that the government was servicing the loan it obtained for the construction of the multi-billion naira cargo airport, which he said would be of immense benefit to the economic growth of the state.

    Dickson ordered full payment of January salary with immediate effect but lamented that despite increase in crude oil price in November and December, there was no reflections in allocations to the state.