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Tag: Dickson

  • Dickson seeks collective efforts to end insurgency in Northeast

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson at the weekend called for collective efforts to end the insurgency in the Northeast.

    The governor said the country was feeling the negative impact of terrorism, but insisted that all institutions and people of goodwill must work together to end the security challenge.

    Speaking at the formal launch of this year’s Armed Forces Emblem Appeal Fund Week in Yenagoa, the state capital, Dickson also urged security agencies, particularly the Armed Forces, to maintain their integrity and ensure professional conducts.

    The governor advised the military not to tarnish its reputation and positive image on the altar of political ambition.

    Dickson, who was represented by his deputy, Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd), tasked the Armed Forces to fashion out new strategies to combat the country’s security challenges.

    Praising security agencies for their sacrifices and contribution towards the protection of life and property, the governor urged Nigerians to support the Armed Forces to defend the territorial integrity of the country.

    He donated an undisclosed amount of money to the appeal fund.

    Dickson also advised the leadership of the state council of the Nigerian Legion to be transparent and accountable in its utilisation of proceeds of the emblem appeal funds.

    Responding to the legionnaires’ requests, Dickson assured them of his administration’s continued support and promised to look into issues affecting the smooth operation of the Mass Transport Scheme belonging to the state council of the legion.

    He said: “I want to thank and congratulate members of the Armed Forces for the various roles they have been playing to ensure peace and unity. I have always said without any sense of contradiction that the Armed Forces is the formidable arm of government that has played a more serious role in unifying this country.

    “The challenges in the country today have become more complex, requiring new methods and innovations to contain them. We are all aware of what is happening in some parts of the country, particularly in the Northeast and its spreading to other areas.

    “As our country goes into elections in the coming months, your integrity will be called to question again. So, you have to avoid anything or action that will tarnish the longstanding reputation you have built for yourself over the years.

    “There is palpable apprehension in the country. I, therefore, call on you to act very professionally, making sure that your duty is performed to the best of your ability and leave the rest to those assigned certain specific roles.”

    The Chairman of Bayelsa State Council of the Nigerian Legion, Elder Ogele Okubokekeme, expressed appreciation to the state government, individuals, the Army and other security agencies for identifying with the activities of the legion.

    Okubokekeme urged the government to provide a monthly overhead for the running of the legion office, procurement of new uniform.

  • Emulate Shagari, Dickson urges

    The Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, has described the death of former President Shehu Shagari, as a major loss to the country. The Governor who expressed shock and his heartfelt condolences over the death of Nigeria’s first elected President described Shagari as a compassionat leader and decent politician who was considerate  of the peculiar challenges of the Niger Delta and the Ijaw Nation in particular.

    The governor said that Shagari passed on at a critical time his vast experience and wise counsel was needed in the country. Governor Dickson urged Nigerians to learn from and emulate the simple, decent and peaceful lifestyle the former President lived. He condoled with the Shagari family, Alhaji Muktar Shagari, former Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, Hon. Aminu Shagari, a former member of the Federal House of Representatives, the Governor òf Sokoto State and others on the sad occurrence.

    He said, “Our country will miss Alhaji Shehu Shagari dearly as his passing came at such a critical time when his wise counsel, extensive historical knowledge and vast experience of the Nigerian polity would have served all of us. On behalf of my family, the good people of Bayelsa State and the Ijaw nation, I express my sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family, community, Sokoto State and indeed all of Nigeria on this irreparable loss.”

     

  • Dickson to youths: be wary of violent politicians

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has implored youths to be wary of criminals and cultists masquerading as politicians ahead of 2019 elections.

    Dickson said the sole motivation of such unscrupulous characters was to destabilise and subvert his administration’s achievements.

    The governor, who spoke at a media chat in Yenagoa, advised politicians not to overheat the polity with their campaigns, insisting that people should be free to campaign for and vote candidates of their choice. He said Bayelsa was one of the safest and most stable in the country because his administration invested in security.

    Dickson urged parents and guardians to monitor their wards as the government had intensified the campaign against cultism and drug abuse.

    The governor commended the security services for their determination and commitment to the safety and well-being of the citizenry.

    He said: “Bayelsa remains one of the safest and most stable states in this region, and in Nigeria. This is because of a lot of factors and measures put in place by this administration. The leadership has shown maturity in managing things, even matters that are provocative.

    “I laud the people for their peaceful disposition and commitment to peace and order. Though there are few challenges that are quite troubling, such as cultism and drug abuse, particularly as it involves young people, the security services are doing their best to ensure the state is safe and stable for the people, especially during this yuletide.

    “Political, traditional, community and religious leaders should mobilise people to ensure and promote peaceful co-existence. I also urge those taking advantage of lapses in the security and structural imbalances and weak judicial system to desist…”

  • Restructuring: Buhari should set the tone for debate, says Dickson

    Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to set the tone for the debate on the restructuring of the country.

    The president, Dickson said, should deploy the “power, influence and authority of that office to mobilise our country to do the restructuring.”

    He spoke  at the launch of a book, “We are all Biafrans” written by  a human rights activist, Chido Onumah  in Abuja.

    Dickson expressed disappointment that Buhari has not lived up to expectation on the restructuring issue.

    “I regret to say that I feel disappointed that the president didn’t rise to the occasion. It’s a tragedy for our country and also a major tragedy for his own leadership,” he said.

    He also told agitators of a republic of Biafra that it is not feasible, saying it is too late to break Nigeria or allow secession agitation to thrive.

    He asked those demanding for the Republic of Biafra to forget the dream.

    But he said it is time for the restructuring of the country to ensure justice and equality for all.

    He said: “If we are all Biafrans is about the tendency of any part of that country that wants to move out, I don’t believe in that path. I will therefore say that we are all Nigerians.  We disavowed the geographical Biafra, our country does not need it.

    “Let us be very clear, this is our country. No one owns this country than the other. I will rather want to join forces to fight for the new Nigeria this country needs. We need a new Nigeria for the weak and the strong; an egalitarian Nigeria; a nation of justice and equal opportunities. But not the idea of balkanizing. We are not going to leave this country.

    “We should however not run away from the issues raised in the book. If all is well, no one will talk of moving out.

    “These days, people are scared of holding views or position. I don’t know what you are doing in public space if you cannot express your views.

    “What did our founding fathers do that we are failing to do. They sat down, dialogued, disagreed, sometimes walking out of conferences, all those are political tools.

    “We shouldn’t be afraid of disagreeing. In fact, we need more disagreement. But the important thing is whether we agree or disagree should be in national interest.”

    Dickson said Nigeria is ripe for restructuring in order to make progress.

    “With the way it is, our country is not structured to work.  Instead of talking about issues that will bring development, people bring up issues about our fault lines.

    “We need restructuring. This election will be a referendum on restructuring. We cannot continue to run Nigeria in this manner.”

     

  • Dickson proposes N275.8bn budget for 2019

    Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson has presented a budget estimate of N275.8bn for 2019 to the state House of Assembly.

    The proposed financial estimate was against N316.9bn budget for the current fiscal year.

    Presenting the budget christened, “Budget of Final Completion”, the governor assured that concentrated efforts would be made to complete most of the ongoing projects before the termination of his administration in February 2020.

    Dickson said the 2019 budget proposal consisted of statutory allocation of N233.5bn representing 84% of the total budget and value added tax of N9.7bn or 3.55%.

    He noted that other revenue projections comprised internally generated revenue of N16.7bn representing 6.7%, and capital receipts of N15.6bn or 5% of the total budget,

    The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Relations, Fidelis Soriwei, in a statement on Friday quoted Dickson as listing the proposed expenditure as Personnel cost of N47bn (17.1%), overhead cost N49bn or 17.79%, consolidated revenue fund charges N66bn or 23.49%.

    Dickson said the capital expenditure was allocated a lion share of N113.5bn representing 41.16%.

    He put the performance rate of the 2018 budget at 50% explaining that the government received N153bn out of the budgeted N316bn.

    The governor allocated N31bn to the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure followed by Education, N23bn and N6bn for Health.

    Also, N4bn each was allocated to the ministries of Agriculture, Natural Resources, Sports Development and Trade and Investment while Housing and Urban Development was allotted N3.5bn.

    Others are Transport N2.5 billion, Information N2bn, Water Resources and Science and Technology N1.5bn each while Local Government Administration got N720 million.

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    Also, Ministry of Culture and Ijaw National Affairs got N700million, Environment N505 million, Labour and Productivity as well as Women and Social Development were allocated N500 million each.

    Other components of the 2019 budget include, Public Debt Servicing N35 billion, Deductions for federation account N20 billion, Transfer to 32 rural development authorities N3.5 billion and N514 allotted to the Local Government Pensions Board.

    Dickson also said N7bn had been earmarked to create a special fund to address the problem of gratuities of workers which he described as a national challenge.

  • Police chief to Dickson: I’m here to fight crimes

    The Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan, has assured the state Governor, Seriake Dickson, that he only came to the state to fight crimes.

    Police spokesperson Butswat Asinim in a statement said the police boss gave the assurance when he visited the governor in Yenagoa.

    Following frequent change of police commissioners in the state, Dickson and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) raised suspicions on the posting of Mukan linking it to 2019 elections.

    But the commissioner, who visited Dickson amidst the controversies, restated that the only motive that brought him to the state was to fight crimes.

    The commissioner told the governor that the police remained apolitical and that his command was more than ready to tackle the security challenges in the state.

    Mukan said the police would always collaborate with the governor.

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    He said: “The police is apolitical and our duty is to provide level-playing ground for any political party, that will be part of the electioneering campaigns. I will like to assure your Excellency, our position is very clear, you are the Chief Security Officer of Bayelsa State, I enforce the law, so definitely our partnership will always be with the Chief Security Officer, any other insinuations will not be part of our policing Bayelsa State”.

    Dickson told Mukanto do the right things.

    Dickson said he would discharge his duties of supporting the police as long as Mukan upheld the integrity of the service.

    He said: “My duty under the constitution is to give you support, but I will also insist that you do what is right. So, I expect you to uphold, protect and defend the integrity and honour of the service, that you are here to lead, and in doing so, you will have my full support”.

     

  • Wabba: Dickson will be first governor to pay new wage

    President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Ayuba Wabba is hopeful Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson will be the first governor to pay an approved minimum wage.

    According to a statement by the governor’s media aide, Fidelis Soriwei, Wabba described Dickson as a forthright leader, “who does not pay lip service to any agreement reached with labour”.

    The labour leader was delivering a goodwill message at the opening of the 2018 Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council in Yenagoa.

    According to him, Dickson’s utterances and actions over issues of government-labour relations speaks volumes of his understanding of the dynamics of collective bargaining and respect for the rule of law.

    Wabba thanked the government for hosting the Joint Negotiating Council meeting for two consecutive times.

    He said: “In the public sector, collective bargaining agreements have been heavily politicised as a perspective to political correctness, devoid of genuine interest in the welfare of workers. This is the reason many states owe workers’ salaries and pensions.

    “I want to thank His Excellency for what he did during the last payment of the Paris Club Refund, because we made a case to the Presidency that despite releasing the funds, its impact has not been felt. The President authorised the CBN not to pay until there is a liaison between it, NLC and state governments.

    “I must say that Governor Dickson was one of the first to allow the state council have a written agreement, which was transmitted to us and that is being respected. I must thank you for honouring an agreement that was made in a gentleman manner.”

    Chairman of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council and Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, Federal Civil Service, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, praised Dickson for his efforts at maintaining industrial harmony.

    She said: “Governor Seriake Dickson is a man of his words. His uncommon commitment to the welfare of public servants has been demonstrated once again in his provision of excellent facilities and logistics to ensure a conducive environment for the success of this meeting.”

    Dickson, who opened the meetings, acknowledged the contributions of public servants towards policy implementation and national development, describing them as the drivers of progress in government.

    He reiterated his administration’s commitment to promoting the welfare and wellbeing of workers within limits of available resources and extant labour laws.

    According to him, the public service reforms initiated and implemented by the administration provided the enabling environment for the government to employ fresh hands, especially graduates, to enhance productivity and service delivery.

    He promised to maintain the prevailing harmonious government-labour relationship in the state.

  • Dickson, Clark warn against politicising security

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson and Ijaw National Leader Chief Edwin Clark have warned against politicising security agencies in the buildup to 2019 elections.

    The duo alleged increasing abuse of security agencies by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Federal Government.

    A statement by Dickson’s media aide Fidelis Soriwei said Clark visited Dickson in Abuja at the weekend to commiserate with him on the death of his mother, Goldcoast Dickson.

    According to the governor, Nigerians were worried about the conduct of security agencies, alleging they were gradually becoming an extension of APC ahead of 2019.

    Dickson condemned the assassination attempt on the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and the police invasion of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.

    He described the action as an assault on democratic order, and said such should be discouraged.

    The governor added that the posting of eight police commissioners to Bayelsa State within three months showed a plot to destabilise the peace, security and stability of the state ahead of 2019.

    He called on relevant authorities and security agencies to promote the country’s democracy rather than putting it in jeopardy.

    “We are concerned about the conduct of security agencies ahead of 2019 elections. In fact, all lovers of Nigeria and democracy are concerned about the conduct of the security agencies.

    “The agencies have become an extension of the ruling party, which should not be so. The abuse of the security forces constitute a threat to the security, democracy and stability of the country.

    “In Bayelsa, we have had eight police commissioners in the last three months. It won’t take you long to know that there is a sinister game going on to destabilise and create instability in the state that we have worked hard to stabilise. We urge the security agencies to conduct themselves in a way that would stabilise democracy.

    “The greatest challenge we have ahead of the 2019 election is the conduct of the security agencies; that is the concern of well-meaning Nigerians. Politicians and people in government need to know that there is a country to govern after elections.

    “Let us not in the quest for election destroy these critical agencies of state and the career and reputation of these officials. When you politicise these agencies, you threaten the careers of these people who are professionals in their own right.”

    Clark condemned the erratic transfer of eight police commissioners to Bayelsa in three months, saying he was not surprised at the conduct of the police as they recently invaded his house in Abuja in a purported search for arms.

  • N80bn Bayelsa airport project outrageous – Bayelsa APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa says the ‘astronomical’ rise in cost of the Bayelsa Cargo Airport from N40 to N80 billion is worrisome and a waste of public funds.

    The APC said that the reaction of Bayelsa Government to its allegation on the project was a failed attempt to divert attention from obvious lack of fiscal discipline and prudence by the state government.

    The party said that “serious issues of accountability, due process and democratic governance” raised in its Nov. 15 statement regarding the airport project was never addressed.

    Mr Doifie Buokoribo, the APC Publicity Secretary in Bayelsa, said in a statement in Yenagoa on Monday that the state government had carefully avoided the critical concerns raised by the party.

    The party said that by the diversionary response, the Dickson government had only confirmed the allegation, stressing that “Governor Dickson is guilty as charged.”

    The APC had criticized the Bayelsa Government for borrowing from the money market at the current high interest rate and described it as a ploy to siphon public funds.

    It alleged that the high interest of N62 billion to be paid on the N80 billion loan would stifle the state of funds through the monthly repayment obligations in the next eight years.

    It said that the project lacked vital inter-modal network for easy accessibility.

    The APC said that the N80 billion project was inflated and described it as “clearly the most expensive airport project in Nigeria.”

    Buokoribo said that Bayelsa Government’s response was silent on the economic viability of funding such a capital intensive project from the money market at huge interest rates.

    “The Bayelsa State Government’s reaction to our statement of Nov. 15, 2018, on the Bayelsa Airport scam did not address any of the issues we raised. This is unfortunate, but understandable.

    “Unfortunate because the government is attempting to divert the attention of the Bayelsa populace from the serious issues of accountability, due process and democratic governance.

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    “These concerns underscore our party’s intervention. We said the airport project is a fraud. We said at more than N80 billion, it is grossly inflated.

    “We said the airport project is a deliberate cover by Gov. Seriake Dickson to launder state’s funds. We have no reason whatsoever to change our well thought-out position.

    “Rather than address the concerns we raised, Gov. Dickson, through his Information Commissioner, chose to abuse our party and its leaders.

    “The APC is a party of serious-minded people. We are not in competition with anyone as to who will emerge best in exchange of insults and abuse. We are focused on a better life for all the people of Bayelsa State,” he said.

    Bayelsa Commissioner for Information, Mr Daniel Iworiso-Markson, had during an inspection tour of the airport in August, put the cost at N90 billon.

    In his reaction, Iworiso-Markson said the past administration in the state failed to give the people the desperately needed international airport between 2007 and 2011.

    Iworiso-Markson said that the Gov. Timipriye Syla-led administration (now in APC) failed to build an airport in spite of the huge resources at the disposal of his administration.

    According to him, the past administration used what should have been a laudable idea of an airport project to milk the state and siphoned billions of naira into private pockets.

    The commissioner challenged the APC to tell Bayelsa people and Nigerians what the former governor did with N300 billion agriculture loan the state took from the World Bank.

    According to him, the past administration also frittered away the N3 billion Millennium Development Goal (MDG) funds made available to the state and foisted a bond obligation of N125 billion on the state.

    NAN

  • Dickson wins award on good governance

    THE Bayelsa State government has hailed Governor Seriake Dickson for bagging an award of Best Governor of the Year on Good Governance from the Daily Telegraph Publishing Company, publishers of New Telegraph Newspapers. The State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, in a statement said the award was most auspicious following the evaluation of the merit behind it and the implication for a better society. He said awards when undiluted showcased and celebrated extraordinariness in leadership and performance, reflecting the critical factor of vision and courage in leadership.

    Iworiso-Markson stated that Dickson deserved to be recipient of such award because of the difference he brought to governance and his style of leadership that had made Bayelsa a leading state in Nigeria. The Information Commissioner noted that everyone, who followed the remarkable turnaround in education, healthcare delivery, infrastructural development and empowerment in the state, would agree that Dickson truly deserved to be honoured. He stressed that the award and many others the governor earlier received would continue to encourage Dickson to do more for Bayelsans till he completes his term in office. He said: “To all Bayelsans, I want to humbly felicitate with you as well as the governor and entire bureaucracy of government on this occasion of the New Telegraph award. “It is though, a personal award but really embedded in the true value of democratic government, counting on the pivotal role of the people, whose cooperation and dedication ensured the success of government in the new Bayelsa State.

    “The impact of the Restoration Government is real. Without doubt, Governor Dickson has made us all proud. And we cannot but notice the way and manner through which he achieved his quiet revolution in the state. “It is a lesson in effective leadership: liberal, focused, very determined and responsible. His leadership style and understanding of governance have helped in no small way to facilitate this trend of success after success and I think he deserves more accolades. “We have seen a common trend of innovative leadership, breaking from the past as we know it and establishing fresh template of modern ideals both in policy and programmes to integrate development in the state. We have seen a culture of civilised engagement with the people and even with opposition without recourse to brutality or abuse of office.”