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Tag: Dickson

  • Host communities kick against Dickson’s commission of inquiry

    A group of host communities in Bayelsa State at the weekend kicked against the establishment of a commission of inquiry by the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, to investigate activities of oil companies and surveillance contractors.

    The group under the aegis of the Integrated Oil and Gas Host Communities (IOGHC) described the commission as a witch-hunt against key members of the opposition political parties especially the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Speaking in Yenagoa, the state capital, the Board Chairman, IOGHC, Mr. Gift Ebiki insisted that the commission was given a mandate by the state government to indict APC members involved in pipeline surveillance contracts.

    Ebiki lamented that despite acting as the mainstay of the country’s economy, the host communities were abandoned by both the federal and state governments.

    He said the communities depended solely on oil companies and their contractors for development and employment adding that the state government through its commission was making frantic efforts to stop their only sources of benefits.

    He explained that pipeline surveillance contract was a strategic master plan to secure the pipeline from vandals insisting that the contractors involved host communities in securing oil production facilities in their domain.

    He said such contractual agreements helped to curb the vandalism of oil pipeline by oil thieves and other criminal elements.

    He said: “We found this association basically for the interest of attracting federal government, state government to do more in our host communities. For example in Bayelsa State, almost all the communities are in darkness and it is the host community money that is supplying electricity to Abuja, Port Harcourt, Lagos and some other states.

    “But here the only electricity we have is sometimes from Shell and Agip through generators they installed in host communities. There is no community in Bayelsa state that is enjoying government light”.

    He added that Agip and Shell were also responsible for constructing concrete walkways in most communities at the riverine areas, which had been ignored by the government.

    Reading the general position of the group, the Secretary, IOGHC, Zuwa Konugha, said the main objective of the commission was different from the picture painted by the state government.

    Read Also; Dickson offers jobs to 307 doctorate, master’s degree holders

    “But it is a known fact that the prime targets are host communities surveillance contractors”, Konugha said adding that the host communities were not in support of the commission set up by the government.

    He said: “The government of Bayelsa state does not have the support of the host communities to carry out its intended plan to ridicule our members through its commission of inquiry.

    “The surveillance contractors are indigenes of oil and gas host communities. The panel of enquiries are targeted at contractors from the opposition parties who maintain the right of belonging to any political party of their choice.

    “The oil companies mostly the Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) have been very magnanimous in embarking on developmental projects and providing basic social amenities to the host communities.

    “For emphasis, it is only the international oil companies (IOCs) that have been providing electricity, concrete roads, functional primary school building and health center facilities, water projects, town halls, market stalls amongst others in the host communities.

    “We call on the restoration government to immediately take a comprehensive data of oil and gas production of various communities and work out modalities on how to engage its indigenes in empowerment activities, embarking on notable developmental projects and provision of basic amenities as a way of giving back to these host communities that are being milked day in day out”.

    But the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Ebipatei Apiangolo denied all the allegations against the state government saying the governor’s action was justifiable.

    He said the main objective of the commission was to ensure international best practice and restore sanity to operations of oil companies in the state.

    Apaingolo said the state government would not allow the oil companies to continue to operate with impunity.

  • Dickson offers jobs to 307 doctorate, master’s degree holders

    BAYELSA State Governor Seriake Dickson has offered jobs to 307 doctorate and master’s degree holders under the State Scholarship Scheme.

    A statement yesterday by his Special Adviser on Media Relations Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, yesterday, listed the beneficiaries as 107 PhD and 200 MSc degree holders.

    Dickson also gave jobs to all doctors, pharmacists, public health specialists and others who studied courses critical to  the state.

    The governor said the PhD holders would be given teaching jobs in the state universities; Niger Delta, University òf Africa, and Bayelsa Medical University.

    He added that those with medical degrees, and other professionals at MSc level, would be placed at medical facilities and the civil service.

    The beneficiaries returned with PhD and MSc in Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Agricultural Economics, Agric Engineering, International Relations, Pharmacy Practice, Public Health, Computing and Electronics System, Gas Turbine Engineering, Natural Resources Management, Environmental Law and Management, Statistics and others.

    Dickson noted that the scholarship scheme, designed to send Bayelsa scholars to universities across the globe, came with heavy sacrifice and cost.

    He said the government was saddled with outstanding liabilities of about three million pounds, one million euros, millions of dollars, and naira.

    The governor stressed that although the cost was huge, the investment was the only way to wrest the state from underdevelopment, oppression and poverty.

    He added that the Restoration Government’s plan to send scholars abroad was stalled by the 2016 recession.

    Dickson said: “We should not forget to invest in education. The reason we are where we are is because of lack of education, the reason people take away our resources with impunity is lack of education.

    “The mindless degradation of our own environment, the acts of impunity against our people and their environment, what I call environmental terrorism, is because of the backwardness in education.

    “Those who woke up early and embraced education have taken over everywhere. This is our own way of equipping our people to be able to tackle the existential challenges …

    “The cost is quite huge but …this is the right way to go…

    “While it is good to build roads, hospitals…investments in human capacity is the most important. All the others can collapse but the investment in human capacity development will endure.”

    “I had the intention to send out an army of scholars across the globe but the recession stalled that plan. Several programmes …suffered stagnation as a result of the recession…

    “All those who have completed their PhDs and about to complete, totalling 107; the over 200 who have MSc in …Civil Engineering, Statistics, Pharmacy, Public Health and others and …doctors are given automatic employment.”

    Dickson assured the beneficiaries within and outside the country that the state would release funds next week to gradually settle their outstanding bills.

    He directed the Scholarship Board to start settling bills of those who concluded their studies and needed their certificates for promotion or upgrading as well those who want to further their studies.

    Speaking for the PhD beneficiaries, Dr. Jude Cocodia, a lecturer at Niger Delta University, hailed Dickson’s bold revolution in education.

    He noted that the state was feeling the impact of years of sustained investments in education, especially at NDU, which hosts more beneficiaries.

    The governor earlier offered jobs to 31 First Class graduates and 1,000 young graduates.  They got their employment letters into the civil service in January.

    Dickson said his administration established the Tertiary Education Loan Scheme to enable every child obtain a loan collateralised by their certificates and pay back when they are employed.

    He stressed that the administration succeeded in building schools, set up scholarship programmes for all levels despite the recession.

  • Lokpobiri to Dickson: I won’t come to your commission of inquiry

    Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri on Sunday said he would not appear before the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, to investigate electoral violence in the state.

    The minister described the commission as a mere smokescreen to divert the attention of the people of the state from alleged Dickson’s bad governance in the past seven years.

    Lokpobiri condemned what he described as the governor’s incessant setting up of commissions against the letters and the spirit of the Nigerian Constitution.

    The Justice Inikade Eradiri-led commission invited Lokpobiri and other leaders and chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to appear before it and clear themselves of alleged involvement in violent conducts during the general elections.

    But Lokpobiri in a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Media, Mr. George Oji, said the invitation was Dickson’s usual antics to cow opposition in the state.

    The minister said the concern of the impoverished people of Bayelsa was alleged misappropriation of the state’s resources of the state by Dickson and not the diversionary issue of the commission of inquiry.

    Lokpobiri urged Dickson to forget the commission and face the task of explaining to Bayelsans how he expended the huge financial accruals to the state, which he said had risen to a whooping N1.4trn.

    He said: “As we speak, the money that has accrued to the state has increased to N1.4trn and there is nothing to show for it. Let Dickson give proper account of this. Let Dickson forget about the so-called commission of inquiry and give proper account of how this money has been spent.

    “This is also a wake up call to Bayelsans that this is an attempt by Dickson to divert attention from the real issues of corruption and deliberate impoverishment of our people.

    “Bayelsans should begin to interrogate Dickson concerning the volume of money that has come to the state, including the bailout funds, the loans, as well as the domestic and foreign loans. The people should try to match it with the projects and what is on the ground. That is what Bayelsans want to know.”

    Lokpobiri insisted that governance was a more serious business than talking about frivolous issues and making false claims that had little or nothing to do with accountability.

    He challenged Dickson to public debate to explain his stewardship in office saying the commission was unnecessary since according to him there was no single political violence involving the APC in Bayelsa during the last elections in the state.

    He claimed that the only incidence of violence he could remember was the killing of an APC member, at Tungboabiri, Sagbama, which was perpetrated by PDP thugs before the elections and the recovery of of arms, including AK47 from PDP thugs.

    Lokpobiri accused Dickson of using the Nigerian Army Engineering Regiment in Toro-Orua, the governor’s home town, and the state security outfit, Door-Akpor set up to divert election materials and prevent APC agents from accessing the collation center in Sagbama, where the rigging of the elections were perpetrated.

  • Dickson desperate to upturn APC victory in Bayelsa- Sylva

    A former Governor of Bayelsa State and Leader of All Progressives Congress ( APC ) in the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, on Monday said the incumbent Governor, Seriake Dickson, was desperately scheming to upturn APC victory in the state.

    Sylva, who dismissed the protest of PDP leaders and aides to Dickson seeking the cancellation of elections in Nembe-Bassambiri and Southern Ijaw, told the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to fall victim of Dickson’s antics.

    He said Dickson having seen that his candidates including Alhaji Atiku Abubakar lost in Nembe-Bassambiri and in Southern Ijaw, had resorted to propaganda and lies to deceive INEC and rob the APC and Buahri of their victory.

    Sylva, however, claimed that the governor was behind all the violence he accused the APC of adding that the dead casualty in Nembe was a member of the APC.

    He said it had been the style of the governor to be playing the victim while dealing with his perceived enemies noting that it was irresponsible for a governor to be heating up the polity with unnecessary protest.

  • Entrepreneurs should break growth embargo, says Dickson

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has called on entrepreneurs and small business owners to unite to solve the common and immediate challenges stunting the growth of their businesses.

    Dickson spoke at the 2019 All Africa Association for Small and Medium Enterprises (AAASME) Microfinance and SMEs Summit held at the Chief Dappa Biriye Hall, Golden Tulip Hotel, Yenagoa.

    The governor, who was represented at the two-day event by the Commissioner for Trade, Industry and Investment, Mrs. Funkazi Koroye-Crooks, enjoined Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups to pull their resources together and key into the government’s programmes for the development of the SME subsector.

    According to the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso Markson, the Restoration Administration has succeeded in providing the enabling environment for SMEs to grow, aside oil and gas, even as he lauded the Bayelsa Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency (BYMEDA) for setting the agenda for Africa’s development of SMEs ecosystem.

    The summit started with the opening of the Sister City Trade Expo, which showcased Bayelsa products, while the first technical session on Business Linkages for Accelerated Growth of African SME was moderated by the Deputy President of AAASME, Sir Iyalla Harry, and paper presentation on same topic by Gen. Ishola Williams (rtd).

    The Minister of state Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Aisha Abubakar, who was represented by Deputy Director, Industrial Development, Mr. Opaluwa John, congratulated the Dickson-led government for hosting the event. According to her, the event was in line with the Federal Government’s efforts in developing the SME sub-sector.

    AAASME’s Vice President (North Africa) Dr Atef Elshabrawy Ibrahim emphasised the commitment of government to localise plans with focus on transforming SMEs to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Agenda 2030 as well as the Africa Union Agenda 2063.

    Secretary-General of AAASME and Director-General, Bayelsa Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency (BYMEDIA) Ebiekure Eradiri thanked participants for attending the summit, and assured them that the agency would continue to promote, support and develop the SME subsector.

    Eradiri hoped the summit allowed participants to network, share knowledge, market and get financial access and linkages, and urged them to invest in the numerous potentials in the state.

  • Dickson: APC leaders don’t want me to receive Buhari

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has accused leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timipre Sylva and Minister of State for Agriculture, Heineken Lokpobiri, of plotting to block him from receiving President Muhammadu Buhari in Bayelsa.

    The governor, in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said the APC chieftains were determined to scuttle the standard procedure of receiving the President irrespective of party affiliations.

    Buhari is expected in Bayelsa today in continuation of his presidential campaign tours.

    But Dickson said the APC leaders are demonstrating pettiness and childishness by preparing a protocol crisis before the visit. He condemned their decision to prevent the president from landing at the Helipad within the Government House in Yenagoa, which he described as the safest location in Bayelsa.

    The governor also urged the Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers to play their traditional roles in accordance with standard protocol and procedures.

    He recalled that his administration released the stadium at great cost, in addition to receiving the Vice President who led the Federal Government delegation to campaign for Sylva during the 2015 election.

    The governor called on the President to caution his party members so that the state could play its traditional role in the visit of a serving President to Bayelsa.

    Dickson said if the right steps were not taken to address the situation, the government and its operatives would withdraw from the visit.

    He said: “I wish to alert Mr. President and the public that the so called APC political leaders are planning to take advantage of the proposed visit of the President to create crisis. It is the standard procedure that when the President is visiting a state, he is a guest of the government. The governor is his chief host, irrespective of party differences.

    “As governor of Bayelsa State, I am known for this kind of matured behaviour. In 2015, I personally received the Federal Government entourage led by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, even when they came to campaign against me.

    “We condemn their childish and immature insistence that the President should land in a place other than the most secure and safe location which is the Government House. This has been the practice for every visiting leader.

    “The government of Bayelsa State gave public facilities to the President in 2015 when he was running against Goodluck Jonathan, contrary to Sylva who, when he was governor, stoned Buhari out of Bayelsa. It is part of the norm that the President is received by the traditional rulers’ council in the state.

    “If they continue to undermine the state’s security, the government would have no role to play in this visit. We call on the President to call them to order. If he doesn’t, the government of Bayelsa State and its functionaries shall play no part in the visit.”

    But Sylva described the allegation as unfouded.

  • Dickson hails Buhari for IG’s appointment

    Bayelsa State Governor Henry Seriake Dickson has hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing Muhammed Adamu as inspector general of Police.

    The governor, in a statement yesterday by his media aide, Fidelis Soriwei, described Adamu as a dedicated professional with the requisite experience for the job.

    Read also: Lagos’ entrepreneurial development initiatives

    He urged the Police chief to refocus the force for effective service delivery, with emphasis on professionalism.

    According to the governor, his interactions with Adamu, when he was assistant inspector general of Zone 5 showed he was a brilliant career officer with the right experience for the job.

    Dickson called on the people to support Adamu, even as he assured him of his support and prayers.

  • Dickson hails Buhari on choice of Adamu as IGP

    Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari on the choice of Mr. Muhammed Adamu as the new Inspector General of Police (IGP).

    The Governor in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, on Thursday, described the new IGP as a dedicated professional with the requisite experience for the job.

    He, however, urged the new IGP to give required attention to the need to refocus the police for more effective service delivery with emphasis on professionalism.

    Dickson said that his interactions with the new IGP when he was the Assistant Inspector General in charge of Zone 5, showed that he was a brilliant career officer with the right experience for the job.

    He called on Nigerians to support to the new IGP to enable to him the succeed in the onerous task of securing lives and prosperities in the society.

    The governor assured the new IGP of his support and prayers “as long as he does what is right in fairness to everybody.”

    He said: “I commend President Muhammadu Buhari on the choice of a new IGP, in the person of Muhammed Adamu, a professional police officer.

    Read Also: Dickson to politicians: support military to win war against Boko Haram

    “From my experience and interactions with the New IGP when he was Assistant Inspector General òf Police in charge of Zone 5, my judgement is that he did a good job, as a brilliant career officer with the right experience.

    “I congratulate him and urge him to refocus the service for greater professionalism and national service. He should raise the bar of professionalism and service in the police.

    “I also call for support for the new IGP especially at this critical time of our nation’s history to enable him to succeed in the sensitive task of security our society.

    “As long as he does what is right and he is fair to all, he will always have my support and prayers”.

  • Dickson to politicians: support military to win war against Boko Haram

    The Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has called on political leaders and citizens to support the military to win the war against the Boko Haram terrorists in the North East.

    Dickson in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, spoke when he paid a condolence visit to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, at the NAF Headquarters, Abuja following the death of Bayelsa-born Flight Lt. Pereowei Jacob, and four others in a helicopter crash on January 2, 2019.

    The governor said that it was necessary for leaders across the country to support the efforts of the Armed Forces.

    He regretted that some of the troops had paid the supreme price in the process of defending the territorial integrity of Nigeria.

    He said that the Government and people of Bayelsa were further saddened by the loss of the Pilot, Flight Lieutenant Pereowei Jacob, and four others in the crash.

    He said that the condolence visit was meant not only to mourn and grieve with the NAF, but to also encourage the military and security agencies on the ongoing combat against the insurgents.

    Dickson promised to visit the widow of the late pilot to announce the support of the government to her.

    He also called on Nigerian leaders to give necessary support to the loved ones left behind by military officers and men who got killed in action.

    He said: “I am here because of the recent tragedy that befell your service, our nation and our state also. I am referring to the unfortunate incident as a result of which you lost some of your gallant officers who have been at the forefront at the efforts aimed at containing the insurgency.

    “We are saddened by the loss of this very brilliant, dedicated, promising officers. The Government and people of Bayelsa are further saddened that the pilot who died in that incident, Pereowei Jacob, was a Bayelsan.

    “The government feel that we should visit you, to condole with you, your officers, the airmen and women. I will also be visiting the family, especially the young widow who was married and stayed with her husband for just about three weeks before this sad incidence.

    Read Also: Boko Haram: killed soldiers, officer buried in Kaduna

    “Bayelsa mourns with you, Bayelsa grieves with you but above all, we are here to show solidarity with you, the Air Force and indeed the military in the efforts that are being made to keep the country safe.

    “I want to use this opportunity to call for more support for the Armed Forces. I call on all Nigerians and leaders to join hands to support the work of the military and security agencies in containing the insurgency. Everyone is paying a price. Your officers and men have once again paid the supreme price.

    “And we are here acknowledge the contributions and sacrifices of your men and indeed all the officers to keep the country safe.”

    In his remarks, the CAS, said that the helicopter crash that led to the unfortunate death of the Air Force personnel would not discourage the service from intensifying the onslaught against the insurgents.

    He said that the NAF was focused and working hard to carry out its statutory responsibility of protecting the territorial integrity of Nigeria.

  • Dickson, Ijaw leaders console with Sultan, Tambuwal, others over late Shagari

    BAYELSA State Governor Henry Seriake Dickson yesterday led a delegation of Ijaw leaders and traditional rulers to condole with the Sultan of Sokoto, the state government and people on the death of former President Shehu Shagari.

    Dickson described Shagari as a great statesman and leader, who belonged to the generation of leaders who designed a progressive alliance between the North and the Southsouth, especially the Ijaw nation. According to the governor, the relationship was mutually beneficial in the interest of the country.

    Dickson, in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media Relations Fidelis Soriwei, said Shagari would be remembered for his uncommon capacity for inclusive and responsive governance and the roads and bridges he built in the Niger Delta as President.

    However, the governor said it had become necessary for the productive alliance between the North and the Ijaws, who are indigenous to the six coastal states of Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Ondo to be reworked to sustain its mutual benefits.

    He added that the alliance should be adjusted and refocused to prevent the neglect of the Niger Delta and the indiscriminate sacking of qualified citizens of the area from their positions.

    Read also: N100b Sukuk fund released for 28 road projects

    Dickson stressed that the Ijaw people deserved better treatment having made sustained efforts and great sacrifices for the growth and stability of the country.

    Governor Aminu Tambuwal said the APC lacked the capacity to actualise the nation’s desire for greatness.

    He called on the electorate to vote only for leaders with the requisite capacity to govern and the desire to promote the welfare of the people.

    The delegation included: King Alfred Diette-Spiff,  King Luke, King Uwaba,  former Minister of Aviation Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas, AVM Larry Koiyan,  the President of the Ijaw National Congress, Prof. Joseph Ayenka, the Chairman, Bayelsa Council of Elders, Chief Francis Kpakula,  former Director-General of the Department of State Services  Matthew Seiyefa, former Minister of Police Affairs  Broderick Bozimo and former Permanent Secretary Ministry of Power Ambassador God knows Igali.

    The delegation also visited the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, and the Shagari family, where they were received by  Bala Shagari, the late President Shuhu Shgari’s eldest son.

    The Sultan, who thanked the delegation, also used the opportunity to condole with Dickson on the death of his mother, Ma Goldcoast Dickson.