Tag: Dickson

Daniel Iworiso-Markson is the Chief Press Secretary to Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson. In this interview with MIKE ODIEGWU in Yenagoa, the state capital, he speaks on the challenges confronting his boss and how he is tackling them.

How is your boss trying to fulfill his campaign promises to the people of Bayelsa State?
Election has now been won and lost. But, what next? If I get you correctly, that’s the thrust of your question. But it is important that we properly situate the philosophical underpinning of the election that Dickson ran on a promise in 2012 but ran on concrete achievement in 2015. His signature projects areeverywhere. In fact, if he decided not to run again in the last election, he could actually say he had already put his footprint on the sands of time in Bayelsa State. Interestingly, these points are captured in my new book.
Recession or no recession, Governor Dickson is intent on making a difference. Indeed, he has made such a huge difference in the last four years and it was on the strength of his very impressive and remarkable performance in office in his first term that made Bayelsans to return him back to office for the second time. You will recall that while presenting his case for re-election, the governor’s focus had been on the need for continuity of his vision for the state. This takes the form of uninterrupted development in infrastructure, particularly opening up the state through connecting those inaccessible but important locations by roads and bridges.
Thus, he hoped to enhance commerce and civilisation, manpower-development through his free and compulsory education, scholarships, health, job creation and the very broad plans for the diversification of the state’s economy. His focal points were such ambitious projects like the Agge Deep Seaport, constructing a road toBrass, investment in power-generation and the eco-industrial park as well as the completion of the airport, among others. He is concerned about spreading prosperity as much as possible and within a short possible period of time. To him, nothing was impossible with the right vision, dedication and aspiration to make a difference in the lives of the people.
You spoke of a new book. What book is that?
I titled it, Bayelsa Historic Election: How Dickson won, Federal Might versus the Peoples Power
Why did you write the book?
By February 14, next month, the Restoration Government will be marking its one year in office in the second term of Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson as Governor of Bayelsa State. Since he first contested and won the governorship election in 2012, I have been an active participant and close watcher of events and especially the politics of Bayelsa State.
My appointment by Governor Henry Seriake Dickson as his Chief Press Secretary only exposed me to greater understanding of the dynamics shaping the politics of the state, which regrettably were to underscore the complex web of intrigues which characterized his re-election in 2016.
As part of the activities lined up to commemorate the anniversary celebration, I have endeavoured to write this book to promote democracy in the country because as the reader would also discover, and corroborated by Governor Henry Seriake Dickson convincingly, what took place in Bayelsa was more than an election, it was war.
In the words of my boss, ‘This election that brought me back for the second term was not just an election. It was more than an election and more like warfare. Getting through it was actually like surviving a war.
‘We were against a full display of the totality of power at the centre, deployed to the fullest. All elements of national power were displayed to take over Bayelsa by force and my opponent’s campaign was appropriately nicknamed Operation Takeover Bayelsa. He called it a ‘takeover mission’, a tag that appeared innocent at first but in retrospect, we now understand what it meant from day one’
So, this book is a definitive account of an election where the leadership in government at the centre and her candidate acted out a script that transformed a mere election into a warfare and perpetrated acts of violence against public morality, violation of human rights, kidnapping, shooting, maiming and intimidation under the rubrics of elections.
The “Operation Take Over” slogan of the Federal government-backed candidate was put to real action but scuttled by the greater will of the people. Before the election, there were reports that the APC in BayelsaState was stockpiling weapons to perpetrate violence at the elections, but little was done to tackle this concern.
Thus the true account of what happened in the 2016 Bayelsa governorship election and the sordid interplay of some ‘dark forces’ which conspired to make it so painful to us as Nigerians are what is presented in the book for history and posterity.
What are the key takeaways from the book?
Basically, it is to show how the people could help themselves to reject political imposition by being active in the defence of their votes as Bayelsans did even having to throw their bare bodies to challenge armoured tanks on the day of election when it was clear that the army of occupation were desperate to rig the election. Let me state very clearly that democracy is very much on trial across board and it is our collective responsibility as active and patriotic citizens to save the situation because the development of the nation’s democracy has an important relationship with our economic development.
Hence, democracy must be given a chance to survive and really flourish. Likewise, the state must as a matter of fact survive without which there can be no democracy. As we have seen in the Bayelsa election and even most recently, the Rivers re-run national and state assembly elections, what is clear to the unbiased observer is that the conscious attempt to rig elections caused such unscrupulous activities that resulted into the mayhem in the state. We were helplessly shocked to see such loss of lives and property. But this shouldn’t have been the case in a democracy.
It is an issue which hopefully, will continue to be reflected upon by all concerned because of its implication in the advancement of our democracy and mutual co-existence as a people. This is why we must never allow its recurrence in any part of the country. It is a challenge to our moral and spiritual beings that we as a people should not be involved in this kind of cruel action which was so dehumanizing and unjust against our fellow human beings all in the name of politics.
But, politics itself is an act meant to serve and not to kill and destroy. Thus, as a civilized act of engagement, it craves for superiority of arguement in a peaceful atmosphere and driven by sane and honourable people who are fired into participation because of the common good. This is the irony of our democracy which is bastardised by the elite that only seeks to maintain the interest of the few in society.
Will Bayelsans see Dickson inaugurate some of the signature projects you spoke about in the first anniversary of his second term in office?
The book is not even a major part of some of the programmes lined up to commemorate the anniversary celebration. We simply want to take advantage of the period to introduce the book since we cannot, as it were, gloss over the myriad of telling issues and abuses that characterized the election. Something must be done by the collective of our people to say never again shall we see such electoral oddities in any part of the country.
History will not forgive us, if we continue to sweep under the rug those salient issues of that election which obviously have consequence for our national stability and development. However, to answer your question, some of the plans put in place to mark the anniversary is the commissioning of completed projects.
Among the completed projects are the state archives, museum, language centre, new secretariat annexes, the very magnificent new governor’s office complex, the very impressive Government House Hospital Complex.

Daniel Iworiso-Markson is the Chief Press Secretary to Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson. In this interview with MIKE ODIEGWU in Yenagoa, the state capital, he speaks on the challenges confronting his boss and how he is tackling them.

How is your boss trying to fulfill his campaign promises to the people of Bayelsa State?
Election has now been won and lost. But, what next? If I get you correctly, that’s the thrust of your question. But it is important that we properly situate the philosophical underpinning of the election that Dickson ran on a promise in 2012 but ran on concrete achievement in 2015. His signature projects areeverywhere. In fact, if he decided not to run again in the last election, he could actually say he had already put his footprint on the sands of time in Bayelsa State. Interestingly, these points are captured in my new book.
Recession or no recession, Governor Dickson is intent on making a difference. Indeed, he has made such a huge difference in the last four years and it was on the strength of his very impressive and remarkable performance in office in his first term that made Bayelsans to return him back to office for the second time. You will recall that while presenting his case for re-election, the governor’s focus had been on the need for continuity of his vision for the state. This takes the form of uninterrupted development in infrastructure, particularly opening up the state through connecting those inaccessible but important locations by roads and bridges.
Thus, he hoped to enhance commerce and civilisation, manpower-development through his free and compulsory education, scholarships, health, job creation and the very broad plans for the diversification of the state’s economy. His focal points were such ambitious projects like the Agge Deep Seaport, constructing a road toBrass, investment in power-generation and the eco-industrial park as well as the completion of the airport, among others. He is concerned about spreading prosperity as much as possible and within a short possible period of time. To him, nothing was impossible with the right vision, dedication and aspiration to make a difference in the lives of the people.
You spoke of a new book. What book is that?
I titled it, Bayelsa Historic Election: How Dickson won, Federal Might versus the Peoples Power
Why did you write the book?
By February 14, next month, the Restoration Government will be marking its one year in office in the second term of Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson as Governor of Bayelsa State. Since he first contested and won the governorship election in 2012, I have been an active participant and close watcher of events and especially the politics of Bayelsa State.
My appointment by Governor Henry Seriake Dickson as his Chief Press Secretary only exposed me to greater understanding of the dynamics shaping the politics of the state, which regrettably were to underscore the complex web of intrigues which characterized his re-election in 2016.
As part of the activities lined up to commemorate the anniversary celebration, I have endeavoured to write this book to promote democracy in the country because as the reader would also discover, and corroborated by Governor Henry Seriake Dickson convincingly, what took place in Bayelsa was more than an election, it was war.
In the words of my boss, ‘This election that brought me back for the second term was not just an election. It was more than an election and more like warfare. Getting through it was actually like surviving a war.
‘We were against a full display of the totality of power at the centre, deployed to the fullest. All elements of national power were displayed to take over Bayelsa by force and my opponent’s campaign was appropriately nicknamed Operation Takeover Bayelsa. He called it a ‘takeover mission’, a tag that appeared innocent at first but in retrospect, we now understand what it meant from day one’
So, this book is a definitive account of an election where the leadership in government at the centre and her candidate acted out a script that transformed a mere election into a warfare and perpetrated acts of violence against public morality, violation of human rights, kidnapping, shooting, maiming and intimidation under the rubrics of elections.
The “Operation Take Over” slogan of the Federal government-backed candidate was put to real action but scuttled by the greater will of the people. Before the election, there were reports that the APC in BayelsaState was stockpiling weapons to perpetrate violence at the elections, but little was done to tackle this concern.
Thus the true account of what happened in the 2016 Bayelsa governorship election and the sordid interplay of some ‘dark forces’ which conspired to make it so painful to us as Nigerians are what is presented in the book for history and posterity.
What are the key takeaways from the book?
Basically, it is to show how the people could help themselves to reject political imposition by being active in the defence of their votes as Bayelsans did even having to throw their bare bodies to challenge armoured tanks on the day of election when it was clear that the army of occupation were desperate to rig the election. Let me state very clearly that democracy is very much on trial across board and it is our collective responsibility as active and patriotic citizens to save the situation because the development of the nation’s democracy has an important relationship with our economic development.
Hence, democracy must be given a chance to survive and really flourish. Likewise, the state must as a matter of fact survive without which there can be no democracy. As we have seen in the Bayelsa election and even most recently, the Rivers re-run national and state assembly elections, what is clear to the unbiased observer is that the conscious attempt to rig elections caused such unscrupulous activities that resulted into the mayhem in the state. We were helplessly shocked to see such loss of lives and property. But this shouldn’t have been the case in a democracy.
It is an issue which hopefully, will continue to be reflected upon by all concerned because of its implication in the advancement of our democracy and mutual co-existence as a people. This is why we must never allow its recurrence in any part of the country. It is a challenge to our moral and spiritual beings that we as a people should not be involved in this kind of cruel action which was so dehumanizing and unjust against our fellow human beings all in the name of politics.
But, politics itself is an act meant to serve and not to kill and destroy. Thus, as a civilized act of engagement, it craves for superiority of arguement in a peaceful atmosphere and driven by sane and honourable people who are fired into participation because of the common good. This is the irony of our democracy which is bastardised by the elite that only seeks to maintain the interest of the few in society.
Will Bayelsans see Dickson inaugurate some of the signature projects you spoke about in the first anniversary of his second term in office?
The book is not even a major part of some of the programmes lined up to commemorate the anniversary celebration. We simply want to take advantage of the period to introduce the book since we cannot, as it were, gloss over the myriad of telling issues and abuses that characterized the election. Something must be done by the collective of our people to say never again shall we see such electoral oddities in any part of the country.
History will not forgive us, if we continue to sweep under the rug those salient issues of that election which obviously have consequence for our national stability and development. However, to answer your question, some of the plans put in place to mark the anniversary is the commissioning of completed projects.
Among the completed projects are the state archives, museum, language centre, new secretariat annexes, the very magnificent new governor’s office complex, the very impressive Government House Hospital Complex.
And, of course, the pharmaceutical storage and distribution centre as well as the world class Diagnostic and Forensic centre, which has since become functional, being the first of its kind in Africa.
Many won’t dispute the fact that in its first term, the Dickson-led Restoration Government has displayed strong commitment and determination to making a difference in the lives of the people by providing such massive and strategic infrastructure throughout the state. Besides the construction of roads, there are the strategically-located bridges in the three senatorial districts.
Equally strategic is the construction of an airport and the emphasis on the Agge Deep Seaport.
In the estimation of Governor Dickson, the successful completion of these two projects would speed up the quest for a diversified and vibrant economy, thereby making oil just one of the sources of income for the state. The airport and seaport wouldjumpstart the state economy so much in terms of massive job-creation, boom in trade, leading to a huge leap in income for the state and of course a new lease of life for the people.

Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State spoke to reporters in Yenagoa, the state capital, on his plan to transform the state in his second term in office. The governor also spoke about some of the key proposals in the state’s 2017 budget. MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE was there.

WHAT is the N14.5 billion recently given to the state by the Federal Government meant for?
It is a refund from excess deductions on account of World Bank and Paris Club and other loans that the Federal Government took and repaid. Our federation is a very wonderful one, where as state governors, you just wait and at the end of the month they come up with whatever figures and throw them at you at the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting. It was discovered that most of what they did at that time was not proper; they repaid with states and local government funds and governors came together to fight for what rightly belonged to their states. This N14.5 billion was not given to Bayelsa only, but to almost all states of the federation. We have put out the figure as a result of our transparency policy. The civil servants have been very understanding; in the last one year, we had to manage a very tough situation concerning our revenues.
Why is the 2017 budget christened Budget for Repositioning for Consolidation?
It is so-called because in the last five years or so, we have embarked upon an aggressive and ambitious programme of infrastructural development, to expand the economy of the state. Now, we are repositioning to consolidate, because in this budget, so much will be done and so many of these projects and ideas that were started will come to fruition. Thus, if we faithfully implement the policies and the principles behind this budget, at the end of the year, there will be a fundamental and almost irreversible paradigm shift in a lot of things. In this budget, so much will be done. Already so many projects have been completed. For example, in the health care sector, the diagnostics centre and the Government House Hospital, which has a public and an executive wing, have been completed. We also have the referral hospitals in the local government areas. So much is happening in education too; we have the boarding schools that will start soon and the constituency boarding schools that we will be completed within the year. So much is happening in the field of agriculture as well; we can see the massive cassava farms that will be kick-started in this budget year. That is why we say the aim of this budget is to finish up all of these. Also we will position the state sector by sector in such a way that Bayelsa will be ready to take off. Take for example the issues that I raised in the budget, the fundamental principles in the budget, the issue of increased revenue drive is critical. In this new year, Bayelsa will accelerate her IGR drive. In the housing sector. You are going to see a lot of estates. In sports-tourism, you will see the golf course and estate, the polo field coming up. The sports academy will also open for business.
I also raised other fundamental issues in this budget. For instance, Bayelsans are going to make a giant leap forward this budget year, by way of breaking this attitude of not engaging in business. That is critical to the economic future of the state and so in this budget we have provided for a N10 billion entrepreneurship development fund. We aim to provide N5 billion direct contribution to that fund. Then, we will work with our partners, the Bank of Industry, the Bank of Agriculture and other commercial banks that are already indicating interest to work with us to contribute to that fund, so that Bayelsa business men and women will be trained and educated in the businesses and enterprises that they want to be engaged in. We will train them and put them in the industrial park; we will create a farm settlement where they will reside and do business. That fund will be utilised to settle them in those businesses. They will be mentored, monitored and supervised. And it is our hope that from this intervention fund, so many young people who are currently unemployed will not just employ themselves but will become employers of labour.
The policy of subvention to tertiary institution is also being re-worked. Because of the way the state came into existence and the political upheavals with no governor completing two terms and staying for eight years, to follow through with any real programme of development, we have had a situation where state-owned universities and other tertiary institutions behave as if they are entities that can only be there to be cost centres. We want them to look within, generate revenue, supporting government in a more strategic sense beyond paying salaries, because the current system is such that every month we pay about N500 million as salaries of the Niger Delta University (NDU) lecturers for example. We have said as a government that every tertiary institution will only be entitled to subvention. So, lecturers and university administrators should begin from now to put on their thinking caps. But we are also giving them a soft landing in this budget, with a special intervention fund for tertiary education, which is meant to fund not just the payment of salaries, but also to put something aside to build many facilities and modernise existing ones. So for the NDU’s College of Education, the College of Health Technology Otuogidi, and the BYCAS, there is good news in this budget year for them.
Considering the scope of the ongoing development projects, do you think the amount appropriated to the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure will be enough to sustain the tempo?
We have major infrastructural deficit and challenges. We have tried in the last couple of years to see what we can do, but because the funding situation has become very harsh, on account of the recession, you can see that a number of these projects have been stalled for some time. For example, the dualization of Isaac Boro Road, which is our flagship road almost cutting through the entire length of Yenagoa. It is very easy to forget how that road was before we came into office, because human memory is very short. This budget is about completion of such projects. The amount we have appropriated for infrastructural development is not as robust as we will like it to be, but a budget is a product of what you expect. For example, last year, we expected we will get so much, but we ended up with only about 46 per cent of the anticipated revenue. So, if you look at it from that perspective, you would understand why we did not achieve much. For example, you see the Igbogene bypass, that road has been in existence for over 20 years. But you have seen the beautiful dualized roads we have made like the Opolo-Elebele Road. That is why we give them to Dantata and Sowee, CCECC and Julius Berger and the like. I wish we have more resources for infrastructure, but given the economic environment this is the best we can do.
In 2016, the government proposed N191b and in 2017 the proposal is N221b. Given the current economic realities, what informed this increase?
The sectoral performance report will be given by the commissioners and the media and finance team. They will begin to analyse the budget performance. But, I have already said that we received only 46 per cent of the budgeted revenue for the outgoing year and that should let you have an idea. But, if we did not receive the money we anticipated, then, it goes without saying that government didn’t have enough money to do quite a number of things. That is why I am talking about the delay in the critical projects like the dualization of the Isaac Boro Road and the stopping of work at Oporoma and so on. But all of these we intend to kick-off.
To your next question of why our expected revenue is slightly higher this year, I talked about the fundamental principles underlying this year’s budget, which we must all understand properly and collaborate to achieve. The first one is the increased revenue drive. There are states that get between N10b and N20b IGR. Some are even approaching N30b. In those states, if you own a property, you pay tenement rate, property tax etc. You pay for permit to build a house. This is how modern states and economies are run. We have assessed our possibilities and worked with the other arms of government to collaborate on redesigning the mechanism that will deliver on increased IGR for the state. For example, a lot of legislations that were not there to create a legal framework under which people will now go and then do most of this services. The judiciary is setting up a revenue court; we already have the tribunal that will handle cases from urban and regional planning board. These are all mechanisms that will increase IGR. We have blocked leakages, and will continue to do so, particularly with regards to the collection and management of tax revenue. Already, all revenues generated are channelled to a single account and we see it on the platform. All my key officials have the details and I monitor it too. So with a combination of all of these and with the cooperation of the people we intend to be able to raise money. We have the capacity. This state is very well endowed. This is one of the most blessed states in the country and anywhere in the world. It is just a question of laying the right foundation. We are trying to redesign the foundations.
What plans do you have for rural development in your budget?
Your question on community development is very important. When in the course of electioneering campaigns, I went round this state, I did so not just because I was soliciting for votes, but that opened my eyes to the realities of rural life and the challenges and the potentials and so. In this current year, the Ministry of Community Development, which we have created just to address these issues will be very active. Almost all communities will be touched. Teams will go round to assess the real needs of the communities, starting from the small ones to the big ones. For Azika, we will have you and other rural dwellers in our mind. We will give you attention. Concerning the Biseni road that you talked about; there are two roads that are critical that we want to do. My predecessor started the road that will link to Onopa, but that road has a lot of stories including people who ran away with billions of naira. But as our resources permit, we will address all of those roads.
What measures have you put in place to check the growing cases of cattle destroying crops and prevent clashes between farmers and herdsmen?
We have been taking a lot of measures to prevent clashes from occurring. Let me say we condemn the attitude of herdsmen who come into this state and carry their cattle to people’s farms and destroy them and attack farmers and villagers. But part of what we have been doing quietly is to work with the security officials and the leaders of the herdsmen and a lot of progress is being made. I am aware of those instances and I want to say that people should not take the law into their hands. We will not allow herdsmen to intimidate Bayelsa people. That will not happen under my watch; you can be sure of that. Any herdsman who is armed with any dangerous weapon will be promptly dealt with according to the law. We have decided that we will open up ranches where people will be engaged in animal husbandry.

But in the interim we have directed that no cattle should be seen roaming around Yenagoa again; it is a very dangerous trend. We have given them a temporary place, i.e the Bayelsa palm.
With your free education policy, where is the place of vocational and technical education, particularly technical colleges?
We have already designated a school as a technical school, the science school here at Okaka now that BDGS has been relocated. But, if we have resources, the Polytechnic will also serve a lot of purpose. The issue of technical and vocational training is key; we are not forgetting that.
We kindly appeal to you to establish a coast guard group at the Okunbiri axis of the Akassa area, to checkmate the activities of sea pirates who attack deep sea fishermen…
I agree with you that the security situation in those coastal areas, particularly Akassa area is not so good. The situation in Nembe area is much better, since the area became passable by road, except the Oluasiri side. But, the Brass area, Akassa, Koluama from the report I get on a daily basis, is still a challenge. I know that the military and security forces are working very hard. We have also set up the waterways security outfit which we hope to fully activate in collaboration with the Federal Government and their agencies when more funds are available. But before then, report whatever you see to your chairman, the officials and security personnel in that area. But in the forthcoming year 2017, we may establish more presence. There will be increased investment in security. I am aware that even in Yenagoa, there is some increase in petty crimes and so on. We are concerned and I know the security forces are working hard and we urge them to do more. Doo Akpor will be re-kitted again. I have started investing in upgrading the communication system and we intend to take delivery of new vehicles very soon. I want to call on all of you to be more security conscious and report any unusual activity to the security agencies.
What successes have been recorded in the area of sports for the year and what are the plans for the future?
You are already aware of what is going on in the Samson Siasia Sports Stadium. The ongoing work will completed latest in January. In 2017, there will be a lot of talent hunting. I have just appointed a renowned UK based sports development expert to work with us on developing young sporting talents. We will be making more investments in the sports academy and I will be making appointments concerning the administration of the Sports Academy. That place can take students now. The aim is to put in world class facilities and the consultant we have appointed has the capacity to identify talent, get sponsorships and bring coaches to work with our local coaches. In the next Olympics in four years, our dream is to have Bayelsans win medals. The Sports Academy will admit its first set of students in January hopefully.
Talking about the plans you have for the entrepreneurship scheme, how do you intend to ensure that an ordinary Bayelsan youth can come together and make something for themselves?
At the completion of the re-organisation of the civil service, we will employ several qualified, trainable young people with relevant skills and qualifications in relevant areas. The studies we have conducted and the data we have developed in the last five years show that there is critical lack of qualified manpower in sensitive areas, in spite of the bloated public service we have. I have been employing and approving employment of doctors, given the health care facilities coming on stream. Bayelsa is going to be a centre of medical excellence and research. A lot of vacancies will be created for pharmacists; we have very few pharmacists, few lab technicians and other medical professionals. This second term consolidation mandate is a duty I owe this state. I will sanitize this state in all the critical areas, so that anyone who comes after me will meet a saner system, a more disciplined system. We need teachers who would be in the classroom.
In the area of entrepreneurship development, the youths are the main targets of this policy. We will open up industrial parks. We have already started up with farms in every local government. The fish ponds in Yenagoa are set. You have a hatchery there that will produce the fingerlings that we will give to them. They just need to have the interest and we will train them. We will give you the pond, the feed, the fingerlings and you are good to go and we will give them subsistence allowance. We will buy up all that they produce. I have for the purpose of aggressive pursuit of agriculture set up a state company, the Bayelsa Agric Development Company.