The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Dickson

  • Dickson to militants: Stop scaring investors from Niger Delta

    The Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, has told militants and other criminal elements to stop scaring investors and visitors in the Niger Delta region.

    Dickson insisted that the survival and economy of the region depended heavily on peace and stability of various communities in the Niger Delta.

    The governor spoke at a state banquet held at the DSP Alamieyeseigha Memorial Hall, Government House, Yenagoa as part of activities marking the 20th anniversary of Bayelsa creation.

    The event, held at the weekend, was attended by founding fathers of the state, leaders and elders from various communities, state executive council members, members of the state House of Assembly, religious leaders, security heads and traditional rulers.

    Two globally-celebrated achievers in their disciplines, foremost historian, Prof. Ebiegberi Joe Alagoa and a literary giant, Dr. Gabriel Okara, who hail from the state, were isolated among other elders and given distinguished icon awards by the governor.

    Alagoa and Okara unveiled volumes of books containing collections of speeches titled, the Art of Delivery, the Power of Delivery, Unique Strides of Delivery, Restoration Unveiled and Ofurumapepe: the Return of the Great White Shark.

    The books were collection of Dickson’s speeches compiled by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson.

    Dickson lamented that the Niger Delta was bleeding because of the activities of some “misguided people from within and without.”

    He said businesses including enterprises that had existed for a decade were relocating from the region because of the nefarious activities of criminal elements.

    He said: “It is unfortunate that a few misguided people from within and without continue to engage in activities capable of scaring investors and visitors to this region.

    “The region is bleeding. Businesses already established even for decades are relocating and meanwhile the irony of it is that our economic prosperity and survival depend on peace and stability in our communities, in our state and in our region.”

    He, however, said that Bayelsa remained the most secured state in the Niger Delta despite the challenges in the region.

     

     

     

  • Dickson to militants: Niger Delta survival, economy depend on peace

    The Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson has urged militants and other criminal elements to stop scaring investors and visitors in the Niger Delta region.

    Dickson insisted that the survival and economy of the region depended heavily on peace and stability of various communities in the Niger Delta.

    The governor spoke at a state banquet he organised at the DSP Alamieyeseigha Memorial Hall, Government House, Yenagoa on Saturday as part of the activities to mark the 20th anniversary of the creation of Bayelsa.

    The event was attended by founding fathers of the state, leaders and elders from various communities, cabinet members of the governor, members of the state House of Assembly, religious leaders, security heads and traditional rulers.

    Two globally-celebrated achievers in their disciplines, foremost historian, Prof. Ebiegberi Joe Alagoa and a literary giant, Dr. Gabriel Okara, who hail from the state, were given distinguished icon awards by the governor.

    Alagoa and Okara unveiled volumes of books containing collections of speeches titled, the Art of Delivery, the Power of Delivery, Unique Strides of Delivery, Restoration Unveiled and Ofurumapepe: the Return of the Great White Shark.

    The books were collection of Dickson’s speeches compiled by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson.

    Dickson lamented that the Niger Delta was bleeding because of the activities of some “misguided people from within and without”.

    He said businesses including enterprises that had existed for a decade were relocating from the region because of the nefarious activities of criminal elements.

    He said: “It is unfortunate that a few misguided people from within and without continue to engage in activities capable of scaring investors and visitors to this region.

    “The region is bleeding. Businesses already established even for decades are relocating and meanwhile the irony of it is that our economic prosperity and survival depend on peace and stability in our communities, in our state and in our region”.

  • Dickson seeks elders’ help to end unrest, insecurity

    The Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, yesterday, appealed to elders and founding fathers of the state to help his government end political unrest.

    Speaking at a meeting with members of the Bayelsa Elders Forum (BEF), as part of activities to mark the 20th anniversary of creation of the state, Dickson paid tributes to elders and founding fathers for persistently agitating for the creation of Bayelsa in 1996.

    He said they wrote their names in gold for securing a good place for Bayelsa and thanked them for the support they had so far given to his administration.

    But he insisted that elders should play active roles in stopping the state from toeing the path of political unrest.

    He said: “Politicians will come and go, but the state will remain. So even in the midst of arguments and disagreements, let violence not be brought to bear.”

  • Dickson reiterates need for regular training in public service

    Dickson reiterates need for regular training in public service

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has reiterated the need for regular training and retraining in the public service to reinvigorate and strengthen the service in the state.

    He spoke when he declared open a three-day retreat/seminar for Permanent Secretaries, Directors and Chief Executives of parastatals and agencies of the government at the Public Service Training Institute, Yenagoa yesterday.

    The seminar was organised by the Office of the Head of Service in collaboration with the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Badagry, Lagos.

    Represented by Chief John Jonah, his Deputy, Dickson advised public servants to be apolitical while discharging their duties and focus on delivering efficient and quality service.

    The governor also stressed the need for accountability and transparency in the management of public funds given the current financial situation.

    Dickson lauded the robust partnership between the state government and ASCON, which provided the resource persons for the programme.

    He noted that ASCON had been involved in the conduct of promotion examinations for top civil servants in the state.

    Earlier, the Head of Service, Dr Peter Singabele, said that the retreat was packaged to improve the performance of top civil servants in the service.

    Singabele urged the participants to take full advantage of the retreat by improving on their skills and knowledge.

    In a lecture titled. “Bayelsa State, its Land and People and Antecedents”, Dr Stephen Olali, Chief Historian/Archivist of the state, noted that history is the study of man, through the evidence of his past actions.

    According to him, every action of man borders on history and took time to trace the evolution of the people of Bayelsa State and indeed, the Ijaw nation.

  • Dickson stresses regular training

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has reiterated the need for training and retraining in the public service, to reinvigorate and strengthen it.

    He spoke yesterday at the opening of a three-day retreat/seminar for permanent secretaries, directors and chief executives of parastatals and agencies at the Public Service Training Institute, Yenagoa.

    It was organised by the Office of the Head of Service in collaboration with the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Badagry, Lagos.

    Represented by Chief John Jonah, his deputy, Dickson advised public servants to be apolitical while discharging their duties and focus on delivering efficient and quality service.

    The governor stressed the need for accountability and transparency in the management of public funds.

    He hailed the robust partnership between the government and ASCON, which provided the resource persons for the programme.

    Dickson noted that ASCON was involved in the conduct of promotion examinations for top civil servants.

    The Head of Service, Dr. Peter Singabele, said the retreat was organised to improve the performance of top civil servants.

    He urged participants to take advantage of the retreat by improving their skills and knowledge.

    In a lecture, titled: ‘Bayelsa State, its Land and People and Antecedents’, Dr. Stephen Olali, the state’s chief historian/archivist, said history was the study of man, through the evidence of his past actions.

    According to him, every action of man bordered on history.

    Olali traced the evolution of the people of Bayelsa State and the Ijaw nation.

  • Amosun, El- Rufai, Dickson preach unity at Ojude Oba

    Amosun, El- Rufai, Dickson preach unity at Ojude Oba

    Governors Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna) and Dickson Seriake (Bayelsa) have urged the citizenry to see the country’s diversity as a source of “strength” for its “greatness”, and not for disunity.

    They advised that the diversity should be utilised in harmony “for the good and progress of Nigeria”, and not otherwise.

    The governors spoke separately yesterday in their goodwill messages at the 2016 annual Ojude-Oba cultural carnival of the Ijebu people in Ogun State.

    It depicted an array of people suffused with glamour and excitement.

    Thousands of Ijebu sons, daughters, friends and well-wishers participated in the event, where over 35 age grades – Regberegbes – paid homage to the Awujale, Oba Sikiru Adetona, who is often referred to as the Orisa Ijebu (the god of the Ijebu people).

    Amosun who hailed Oba Adetona for his ability to use “culture, tradition and religion” to weave an enviable and enduring unity among his people, said the nation’s leaders should emulate his leadership style, and forge a greater unity among Nigerians.

    The governor hailed the Ijebu people for making Ogun State unique with the Ojude Oba festival and for using same to launch the state into global consciousness.

    “One sees the love, tenacity and determination of the Ijebu people to showcase their rich cultural heritage and tradition. In Ogun State, we create the template for others to follow.

    “In Nigeria, we should serve diligently. It is not where one comes from or religion should count, but one’s diligent service. We should emulate kabiyesi ability to forge unity among his people despite different religions.

    “We should live in togetherness, love and harmony, not only in Ogun State but also in Nigeria,” Amosun said.

    For El-Rufai, the Awujale should be praised for his courage and leadership competence in leading his people towards organising the annual Ojude Oba, which he described as an “incredible event”.

    “I came here not as governor, not as guest of Governor Amosun or as a member of All Progressives Congress (APC), but I’m here because Awujale is my father, a man of great wisdom, unparralled courage and integrity.

    “Throughout my public service and exile, he was a true father to me. He advised and even supported me financially. I know the dream of  Ijebu state is close to your heart, and one can pray for your long life to see Ijebu state come to pass,” El-Rufai said.

    Dickson, who was the special guest of honour, urged Nigeria to export Ojude Oba to the rest of the world through cultural tourism.

    The governor, who is a descendant of Adebukunola Fidipote, a princess from one of the ruling houses of Awujale stool in Ijebu-Ode, said Nigeria should leverage on its rainbow of diversity to work towards greatness, and not division.

    Oba Adetona said the festival kept gaining more local and global attention by the year. He hailed Amosun and corporate bodies for their continuous support.

    Ogun State Deputy Governor Princess Yetunde Onanuga, former Old Rivers State Military Governor and traditional ruler Alfred Diette-Spiff, were among dignitaries at the event.

    Others are Olori Omoba Subomi Balogun; Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly Suraj Adekunbi; the Moyegoso of Itele-Ijebu Oba Adesanya Kasali, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; Commissioner for Commerce and Industry Chief Bimbo Ashiru; his Culture and Tourism counterpart, Basorun Muyiwa Oladipo; and Police Commissioner Ahmed Iliyasu.

  • Niger Delta crisis: U.S, Dickson insist on dialogue

    Niger Delta crisis: U.S, Dickson insist on dialogue

    The United States Government and Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, on Wednesday insisted that the Federal Government should use dialogue, not military might, to resolve the crisis in the Niger Delta region.

    They said honest and sincere talks involving all the stakeholders in the region would have far-reaching impact on peace, security and stability of the country.

    A three-man team of senior U.S officials led by the Deputy Chief of Mission, Mr. David Young, spoke in Yenagoa, when they paid a courtesy visit to Dickson as part of their ongoing fact-finding tour of the Niger Delta.

    Other members of the team were Consul-General, John Bray and Chief of Political and Economic Section, Tom Hines.

    Addressing Dickson, Young said: “The United States Government feels very strongly that all stakeholders should be engaged in dialogue as part of step to arrive at equitable and fair solution for all involved.”

    He observed that the major challenge facing Nigeria was to translate the oil wells into meaningful development to impact positively on the lives of the citizens.

    He said the country should strive to ensure an end to violence and establish conditions and mechanisms for lasting change and economic opportunities for the people.

    He said the mission constantly engaged all stakeholders such as governors, civil society group, legislators and non-governmental organisations to promote transparency and fiscal responsibility.

    According to him, America would continue to provide necessary assistance on matters of agriculture, health, education, diplomacy and good governance.

    He said: “We believe that the major challenge to Nigeria is to translate the region’s oil wells into improvement in the lives of every citizen.

    “We encourage Nigeria to work for goals to end violence and to establish conditions and mechanisms for a lasting change over time and provide economic opportunities for people.”

    On his part, Dickson commended the U.S for her encouragement and continued support for Nigeria and the Niger Delta.

     

  • Dickson, ASUU, sign pact to end strike 

    Dickson, ASUU, sign pact to end strike 

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to reopen the state-owned Niger Delta University (NDU) after a four-month strike.

    Prior to the MoU, Dickson paid the university workers two months of the arrears his administration owed them, and asked them to call off the strike.

    ASUU and other categories of workers have been on strike since April, following the inability of the state to pay their salaries since January.

    Irked by the lingering dispute, students of the university and alumni demanded reopening of the only state university in Bayelsa.

    Following a series of negotiations, ASUU reduced its demand for the payment of four months’ to two months, and submitted an MoU to the government on how the balance and other issues affecting the school would be handled.

    A statement yesterday in Yenagoa, the state capital, by Dickson’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said the lecturers agreed to suspend the strike after signing the MoU.

    The agreement was reportedly signed at the House of Assembly complex in Yenagoa.

    The statement quoted the ASUU Chairman at NDU, Dr. Stanley Ogoun, as well as the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Jonathan Obuebite, as expressing satisfaction with the contents of the MoU.

    But they pledged strict compliance with various provisions of the document.

    Ogoun hailed the state government’s mediating team, headed by Dr. Seiyifa Koroye, saying part of its agreement with the government was to address the infrastructural decay at NDU.

    The ASUU chairman said nothing had been done over the years to address the infrastructural needs of the university.

    He said: “It’s just that a particular government has to take responsibility for the plight of the university. At this point, we needed to draw the attention of the present government. That is what we have done.”

    Obuebite praised Dickson for ending the crisis, which generated public concerns.

    The commissioner recalled that even before the signing of the MoU, the governor had taken steps to address a number of ASUU’s demands.

    He described NDU as a flagship tertiary institution and the only publicly funded university in the state.

    Obuebite said the government would continue to fulfill its statutory obligations to NDU.

    But the commissioner blamed issues that caused the strike on the economy at the state and federal levels.

     

  • Bayelsa CJ’s son dies in swimming pool

    Mr Wariebi, son of the Chief Justice of Bayelsa State, Justice Kate Abiri, has been reported dead in mysterious circumstances.

    Wariebi was said to have died in an undisclosed swimming pool at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

    The Governor of the state, Mr. Seriake Dickson, in a statement signed on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson expressed deep shock over the untimely death of Wariebi.

    Dickson was said to have spoken after after paying a condolence visit to Abiri at her residence in Yenagoa.

    The statement confirmed that Wariebi, a graduate of law and a student of the Nigerian Law School, Abuja, reportedly died in a swimming pool last Friday night.

    The governor noted with regret, the circumstances under in which, the life of the young Wariebi was cut short.

    He said the state government would collaborate with the police and other relevant agencies, to unravel the real cause of his death.

    He described the deceased as a focused and promising young man, who was preparing to make a wonderful career in the law profession.

    He said that his demise remained a painful loss to the Abiri family and the state in general.

    The governor urged the family to view the incident as divine and prayed God to strengthen and grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.

    “As a Government, be rest assured that, we will stand with you shoulder to shoulder in this very very challenging period, especially in working with the Police and other relevant agencies of the Government to unearth the real cause of his death”, he said.

  • Ijaw youths urge Dickson, Sylva to reconcile

    Ijaw youths urge Dickson, Sylva to reconcile

    Ijaw youths have appealed to Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson and his predecessor, Chief Timipre Sylva, to reconcile in the interest of the state’s development.

    Sylva, who is the state’s All Progressives Congress (APC) leader, and Dickson, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),  do not agree on matters affecting the state.

    Their differences deepened following the conduct and outcome of the governorship election, in which they each represented their parties.

    Dickson was declared winner of the inconclusive poll, the rerun and at the tribunal.

    But Sylva vowed to appeal the tribunal verdict.

    Ijaw youths, through the President of their umbrella council, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Mr. Udengs Eradiri, urged them to shelve their differences and work to develop the state.

    IYC said there was no need to celebrate the tribunal victory, adding that the election had been won and lost.

    The council described the case as a distraction to Dickson, saying the money that should go for development was wasted in the matter.

    IYC said: “It is time for Sylva and Dickson to unite; that unity is the only way forward. Their followers should work towards uniting the two leaders. In Bayelsa, leaders are never united. At the end of the day, the people suffer.

    “So, it is time for the followers to work towards the unity of leaders in Bayelsa. This pull-down syndrome must stop; we have to stop this. There is nothing to celebrate because the more you keep distracting the government, the more people will suffer for it.

    “Dickson is a two-time governor and there is nothing you can do to change the status. Sylva was a governor and there is nothing you will do to change it. These two are not on our level. Don’t go and bother and kill yourselves; instead, unite and let us live as one people.”

    IYC advised those encouraging Sylva to pursue the electoral matter to invest their time on productive ventures and stop hoping for nothing.

    It said: “The opposition should stop distracting the government. Do you know how much it takes to fund these cases and the government will use the state money to fund them?

    “He is the governor of the state. Will he go and use his money? They are distracting Dickson. They should stop telling lies to followers because the time they ought to use to be productive, is being used to hope for nothing.”