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Tag: Dickson

  • Nigeria won’t break in 2015 – Dickson

    Nigeria won’t break in 2015 – Dickson

    Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, on Wednesday derided some politicians over their predictions that Nigeria would be a history in 2015.

    Dickson advised “the prophets of doom,” to desist from fanning the ambers of discord and acrimony through their unpatriotic utterances.

    The governor spoke through his deputy, Rear Admiral John Jonah (rtd) at the grand finale of this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration which was held in Yenagoa.

    Describing the position of such politicians as satanic, Dickson called on Nigerians to disregard the utterances of the agents of division.

    He said despite the current challenges confronting the country, the people would continue to remain resilient and united.

    The governor inspected a guard of honour mounted by men and officers of the Nigerian Airforce, army, navy and the legionnaires and laid wreathes in honour of fallen soldiers.

    He insisted that the nation would continue to remain indivisible.

    He said: “It is imperative for me to use this unique opportunity to remind the retired officers and men of the armed forces, that in spite of the fact that you have been retired from active service, some of you are still active enough to render useful services particularly in the area of maintaining peace and security in our various communities.”

    He said there would be no meaningful development in the country in an atmosphere devoid of peace, security and stability.

    In his remarks, the Chairman of the Nigerian Legion, Lt.Col. Effiom Igirigi (rtd) appealed to the federal government to fully pay the 53 per cent military pensions owned legionnaires in the state to alleviate their plights.

     

     

  • Dickson is wrong on Soku oil wells, says Amaechi

    Dickson is wrong on Soku oil wells, says Amaechi

    Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has said his Bayelsa State counterpart, Henry Seriake Dickson, is wrong on his “facts” on the Soku oil wells in the Kalabari area of Rivers.

    Amaechi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), yesterday in Port Harcourt, insisted that Soku oil wells had historically always been in Rivers State.

    Dickson on Wednesday in Abuja at a news conference by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, claimed that Soku oil wells were in Bayelsa State.

    The Rivers governor, through his Chief Press Secretary, David Iyofor, said Dickson made the claim, months after he (Amaechi) had reiterated that the oil wells, which belonged to Rivers, had been appropriated to Bayelsa by the President Goodluck Jonathan administration.

    Amaechi said: “It is also interesting to note that the statement from the Bayelsa governor is coming after he has held clandestine meetings with a few Kalabari indigenes and chiefs, in his bid to get them to publicly renounce the Kalabari ownership of the Soku oil wells.

    “At the meetings, all sorts of dummies were thrown up, including the ‘story’ that President Jonathan is Ijaw, Kalabari people are Ijaw. So, Kalabari people should support their fellow Ijaw brother, who is the President, to take away Kalabari oil wells and should not join Governor Amaechi, who is not Ijaw, in the fight to return Soku oil wells to the Kalabari people of Rivers State.

    “The facts on the Rivers State ownership of the Soku oil wells are immutable. No matter how the Bayelsa governor tries to stretch, twist or spin them.

    “Even in his (Dickson’s) statement, he left out the fact that from colonial time till the 10th edition of the Administrative Map of Nigeria, the boundaries between the Kalabari communities in Rivers State and the neighbouring Nembe communities of Bayelsa State have been delineated, with the boundary marked as the Santa Barbara River.

    “The 11th edition of the Administrative Map, prepared by the National Boundary Commission and the Federal Surveyor General’s Office in 1999, but published in 2000, strangely shifted the boundaries between Rivers and Bayelsa states from the initial boundary between Kalabari and Nembe, West of the Santa Barbara River, to San Bartholomew River, contrary to the delineation by all preceding administrative maps of Nigeria and all historical records.”

    The NGF chairman also noted that efforts were made by the Rivers State government to ensure the correction of the mistake made by the National Boundary Commission, to no avail.

    He said: “Irked by this distortion of facts, the Rivers State government, under Dr. Peter Odili, petitioned the then Chairman of the National Boundary Commission, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.

    “In a letter dated July 3, 2002, the Director-General, National Boundary Commission, acknowledged the error and apologised, stating: ‘I have discussed this issue with the Surveyor-General of the Federation and wish to state as follows: that the National Boundary Commission has taken note of the state’s observation on the inadvertent misrepresentation of the Bayelsa/Rivers interstate boundary on the San Bartholomew River, as shown on the map’.”

  • X-raying benefits of Dickson’s Thank You Tour

    X-raying benefits of Dickson’s Thank You Tour

     Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their people. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish–  Sam Walton

    Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State’s recent ‘Thank You Tour’ of Local Government Areas of Bayelsa State has been revealing. The tour has thrown up the great cultural antecedents of ancient kingdoms that existed long before colonial rule. It has also shown the great love and support the people have for the Governor and President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who hails from the state.

    Nembe Local Government Area, largely regarded as a center of cultural excellence hosted the “Contriman Governor” as part of his thank you tour and project inspection visit of the state. The ancient city of Nembe, renowned for its colourfoul celebrations, water based cultural displays such as the boat regatta, traditional dances, and colorful masquerades which are usually held during festive occasions.

    The indigenes of Nembe trooped out in their numbers to welcome Governor Dickson and his entourage which included the Deputy Governor, Rtd. Rear Admiral John Jonah, top government functionaries and prominent sons and daughters of the state.

    The atmosphere was that of festivity as the people displayed their rich cultural heritage through their colorful boat regatta with the Governor sitting atop one of the war canoes and waving to the excited crowd. It was indeed a tourist’s delight worthy to behold and further accentuated the affection and respect the people have for the Governor and his administration. After the cultural display, the Governor and his retinue berthed at the town’s jetty and were received by the Executive Chairman and Councilors of the Local Government Area, members of the local Traditional Rulers Council, community leaders and representatives of various interest groups.

    In a show of respect for the traditional institution, Governor Dickson upon arrival made straight for the palace of the Amayanabo of Nembe Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, King Edmund Daukoru where he and his team paid the traditional ruler a courtesy call. In a short but solemn ceremony, the Amayanabo bestowed honour on the Governor tantamount to honorary citizenship of Nembe by inducting him into the Opu Sekiapu Club of Nembe, one of the most prestigious in the kingdom tracing its existence to the nineteenth century.

    The king in his address commended Governor Dickson for his visit, style of governance, achievements and his penchant of carrying the people along. He further pledged his support for both the Governor and the President ahead of 2015 elections stating that the Nembe people and indeed the Niger Delta are fully behind President Goodluck Jonathan. Having said this, King Daukoru further tabled before the governor challenges being faced by the people of Nembe and asked for the Governor’s intervention. In his response, His Excellency promised to look into issues raised by King Daukoru and assured him of his administration’s resolve to strengthen the participation of traditional institutions in local government administration through a bill which is presently going through the state house of assembly. He assured the excited council of chiefs and community leaders that by 2015, the road from Ogbia to Nembe would be completed in other to enhance development in the area. Those at the palace greeted this statement with wild celebration as presently the only means of travel between the capital city and Nembe was a two-hour boat ride with its attendant challenges

    From the Amayanbo’s palace, the Governor and his team in company of their hosts proceeded to inspect some projects and commission a road initiated by the Dickson administration. This included the recently upgraded Nembe general hospital and a road leading to the police station which the Governor found to be inadequate prompting him to direct that a bigger police station be built in other to increase police presence and security coverage in the Community.

    After the commissioning the road, the Governor paid a visit the council of chiefs in neighboring Gbasembiri town where he was hosted by the Nembe/ Gbasembiri council of chiefs to a grand civic reception by the community.

    From Gbasembiri, the august visitor and his entourage made for the Nembe City center where a civic reception was held in his honour at the King’s Square by the people who numbered in their thousands; all eager to catch a glimpse of the ‘countriman Governor’ who was acknowledged as the first Governor ever to embark on a post-election thank you tour of the State. As he entered the venue, the people amidst thunderous ovation and dancing men and women clad in their ceremonial attires received Governor Dickson.

    Just before he addressed the crowd, the Governor’s membership of the Opu Sekiapu Club was announced by the Secretary to the king of Nembe, Chief Isiah Howells who requested that the governor dance in procession with other members of the club as a symbolic gesture of his acceptance.

    The visit to Nembe by the governor was replete with adulation by the people especially in the face of his purposeful and result oriented style of administration. In the views of many, he was born to lead Bayelsa out of the doldrums of its yesteryears as speaker after speaker enthused.

    Other highlights of the event include the presentation of cheques to the four Rural Development Agencies in the Local Government Area by the Governor just as he had done the day before at Brass. This time, the amount totaled Sixty Million Naira as revolving loans to cooperative societies for the purpose of empowering women in the area.

    In his address, the governor expressed his gratitude to the people of Nembe for their warm and colourfull reception. He touched on several crucial issues including the need for beneficiaries of the loan scheme to wisely utilise the loans provided and repay back to the bank. He also reiterated that his youth empowerment scheme would kick off in earnest in 2014 to ensure youths are supported in various small scale enterprises. Presently over 10,000 youths have volunteered and have been screened to participate in this programme. The Governor praised the people for their active participation in security but urged them to increase the tempo in other to create an enabling environment for the growth and development of tourism in the area.

    As part of his avowed commitment to bring governance e and development closer to the people by governing the state from various local governments in the state from 2014, Governor Dickson spent the night in the newly rebuilt Governors lodge where he consulted with the people and community leaders on their needs and challenges. He was also feted to a to a refreshing carol night in line with the festive season where he was regaled in yuletide songs in English and Nembe langauges. He rounded up his tour with a visit to Nembe Grammar School presently being rebuilt by his administration where he inspected the finished structures and ongoing works. In line with his acclaimed revolution in the educational sector, he interacted with students and teachers of the school in other to get a first assessment of their needs and challenges and promised to ensure their needs were attended to soon.

    To the people of Nembe Local Government Area, Governor Dickson’s thank you visit is a promise kept and as they themselves describe it, a blessing from God. He is seen not only as a man of his words, but also as a rare breed of leader whose commitment to promoting the interests of the people is without question. Going by the events of the past two days in the historic city of Nembe, it is clear that by the end of the tour, the people would have officially endorsed Governor Seriake Dickson‘s administration as the best thing that has happened to the Ijaw Nation since the creation of Bayelsa over seventeen years ago. The overwhelming support, love and endorsement of the Governor by, men , women, old and young was unprecedented as he galvanises his people to a level of develoment unparralleled in the country today.

    •Akpe is the Senior Special Assistant to the Bayelsa State Governor on E-Media and Head Media Team, Abuja.

     

     

  • Soku oil wells settled in Bayelsa’s favour, says Dickson

    Soku oil wells settled in Bayelsa’s favour, says Dickson

    The battle for the Soku oil wells between Bayelsa and Rivers states is yet to abate.

    Bayelsa State government yesterday accused Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi of distorting facts to blackmail President Goodluck Jonathan.

    It also accused Amaechi, who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), of using Soku oil wells to incite the Kalabari in Rivers against their Nembe kinsmen in Bayelsa.

    A statement by Daniel Iworiso-Markson, chief press secretary to Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson said the controversy on Soku had been resolved by the Supreme Court, National Boundary Commission (NBC) and several presidential committees.

    The statement said Dickson expressed surprise that Amaechi, “being aware that the matter had been resolved”, was stoking it to get media attention and score cheap political points.

    Iworiso-Markson said Amaechi was aware that Soku was merely a name adopted by Shell, being its nearest operations base at the time, and not necessarily the location of the oil wells.

    The statement noted that the NBC and a committee set up in October 2000 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, headed by Maj.-Gen. A. B. Mamman (rtd), resolved the Soku matter.

    Dickson’s spokesman said: “The crux of the matter is whether the oil wells, which bear the name given by Shell, are within Bayelsa or Rivers states according to the administrative map of Nigeria and other instruments for purposes of derivation.

    “It is instructive to note that not only is the survey-coordinates of the affected areas within the geographical area of Bayelsa State, it is also in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)-delineated electoral constituency as electoral ward 13 in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.”

    The statement quoted Chapter 3 of a report of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) dated August 2006:

    “The Bayelsa/Imo/Abia state governments complained that the naming of oil fields was often done arbitrarily without any regard to the culture and particular environment of the people where the wells or fields are located. This has given rise to wrong attribution by the relevant agencies.

    “Incidentally, Soku village in Rivers State is about 10 km, as the crow flies, from the flow station, while the Oluasiri/Soku oil well/field is surrounded by Oluasiri communities, such as Etukekiri, Ijawkiri, Fredkiri, Adokonikiri, etc all in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.”

    The statement also quoted sections of a report of the General Mamman committee: “Soku Oil Field: The team relied on the legal notice titled: “The Eastern Region Local Government Law, 1955 E.R. NO 26 of 1955. Instrument Establishing the Nembe District Council”, tendered by Bayelsa State on pages 40-41 of its submission.

    “It should be noted that while the Kalabari of Rivers State call the area Soku, the Nembe people of Bayelsa State call it Oluasiri, which is one of the councils mentioned in Paragraph 5 of the above mentioned instrument.

    “In the light of the above, it is recommended that the production from Soku oil field be attributed to Bayelsa State.”

    The statement held that it was the reports that paved the way for Bayelsa to apply for the money, which had been placed in an escrow account when Amaechi approached the Supreme Court.

    “From July 2004, the Revenue Commission officially attributed the Oluasiri (Soku) oil well to Bayelsa State and N7,292,218,892 was subsequently released from the escrow account to the state on March 19, 2007 during the President Obasanjo administration,” it said.

    The government said the application for a refund of N17, 405, 702, 164.34 was made during the late President Umar Yar’Adua administration, on the reconciliation on Nembe South oil field in Bayelsa State and was found by RMAFC to be true.

    The statement said the Rivers State governor failed to disclose that Rivers made a similar claim on Nda and Okwori oil wells from Bayelsa, Imo, Abia, Akwa Ibom and Delta states, and got a refund of N17.5 billion.

    “Bayelsa State government assures our brothers, friends and the good people of Rivers State that our thoughts and prayers are with them at this trying moment in the life of our parent state, where a our citizens still live and call home,” the statement added.

  • Oil theft our greatest problem, says Dickson

    Oil theft our greatest problem, says Dickson

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has described oil theft and pipeline vandalism as greatest evils bedeviling the Niger Delta region and the country in recent times.

    He spoke at the opening of the fourth Environment Outreach Public Lecture and Environment Awards Ceremony in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

    The governor expressed concern over the rising incidents and the sophistication of illegal bunkering, oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta region.

    Dickson, who described the problem as a threat to national security, called on all well meaning persons in the country and the region in particular to condemn these acts in the interest of the environment and economy in general.

    The governor was represented by the Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Sylvanus Abila.

    The governor hailed the publisher of Environment Outreach magazine, Chief Noble Akenge, the organisers of the event, for sustaining for providing a platform through which environmental information can be shared.

    Chairman of the occasion, Prof Kimse Okoko, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the University of Uyo, called on the Federal and States Governments to take the issue of pipeline vandalism and oil theft very seriously as the effects of these evil acts are already being felt in the nation’s economy.

    The Director-General of the National Oil Spills Response and Detection Agency (NOSDRA), Sir Peter Idabor, who was the guest lecturer, described the issue of oil pipeline vandalism and Oil theft as the greatest economic challenge of our country since independence.

    He urged the Federal Government through the security agencies to curb this menace as it was capable of shutting down the nation’s economy.

    Former Minister of EnvironmentJohn Odey condemned the acts of sabotage being staged by enemies of the nation against the nation’s economy and the environment through oil theft. He urged Nigerians to support President Goodluck Jonathan in his efforts at curbing the menace.

    Akenge expressed appreciation to all the participants for attending and supporting this year’s Public Lecture and Environmental Awards Ceremony. He stated that the Public Lecture series were institutionalised in the year 2010 to educate the public and share experiences with distinguished and experienced environmentalists and environmental Managers on issues degrading our collective environment with a view to finding lasting solutions to them.

    The occasion also featured the conferment of “2013 Environmental Stewardship Awards” to various deserving Nigerians and Institutions including former Head of Service of the Federation Prof. Dapo Afolabi, ; Professor Lawrence Ezemonye of the University of Benin; Vice Chancellor of Akwa Ibom State University Prof. Sunday Petters; Deacon Uche Agbanusi of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board and Commissioner for Environment, Adamawa State Hon. Mrs. Arziki Angrawus Sawa.

     

  • Dickson gives firm N3b to complete road

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has given a road contractor –SETRACO Plc N3 billion to complete the Ogbia-Nembe Road, in fulfillment of his promise during his tour of local governments.

    He also gave the company December next year deadline to complete the road, which is in Bayelsa East.

    The governor, who spoke yesterday when presenting the cheque to the company during the monthly transparency briefing at the Banquet Hall, noted that the company said the amount was the balance required to complete the road.

    The contract was hitherto a joint project between the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    The road, described by the government as critical to the development of the state, has suffered neglect for years.

  • Nigeria has no business importing fuel – Dickson

    Nigeria has no business importing fuel – Dickson

    The Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, has said that Nigeria has no business importing refined petroleum products from other countries.

    Dickson, according to a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, spoke while addressing a world press conference on Tuesday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

    The governor was in the ancient city to attend the 2013 African High- Growth Markets summit tagged: “the Emergence of an Aspirational African consumer,” organized by the Economists.

    “The governor noted with dismay the importation of refined products in spite of the magnitude of the barrels of crude oil being produced daily in the country,” the statement said.

    He expressed his administration’s readiness to partner with the Organized Private Sector (0PS) in building refineries in the state.

    The governor was accompanied by the state’s business class and notable politicians such as Ambassador Lawrence Ekpebu, the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Chief Sam Ateki and the Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Mr. Ayakeme Massah.

    Dickson said the business posture of his administration has opened a vista of opportunities for investors in the oil and gas sector of the economy.

    He recalked how crude oil was discovered in commercial quantities in Nigeria at the ancient community of Oloibiri in 1956.

    He disclosed that the state was the second leading oil producing state in the country and called on investors to avail themselves of these opportunities.

     

  • Dickson to kidnappers: release our ‘senior citizens’

    Dickson to kidnappers: release our ‘senior citizens’

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has ordered the kidnappers, who abducted two elderly people in the state, to release them.

    He ordered the release of Pa Nelson Tempurah, the father of the Commissioner for Tourism Development, Mr. Nelson Belief.

    He also asked the hoodlums to set free Mrs. Gbalipre Turner, wife of a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    They are the latest victims of kidnappers, whose whereabouts are unknown.

    Dickson decried the kidnap at Ogbia Local Government during his “thank you tour” to the council.

    He said some persons were bent on sabotaging his efforts at sustaining peace and security.

    According to him, the act was aimed at giving the international community wrong impression about the security situation in the home state of President Goodluck Jonathan.

    The governor, who spoke at a civic reception organised in his honour by the Ogbia indigenes, warned the people against being used by criminal elements within and outside the state.

    Urging the people to be vigilant in view of the forthcoming 2015 general elections, Dickson said some criminal elements were looking for a means of breaching the security situation.

    He said security measures were being put in place to check the activities of the miscreants and make the state an investment haven.

    The governor said: “Some of those people, who are working hard to destabilise our state and discredit the home base of the President, may not be even too far.

    “A few of them are even among us working in collaboration with the people outside to destabilise Bayelsa. But I know that they will not succeed.

    “If anything bad happens here, it gives our detractors happiness. So, I want to use this opportunity to decry the recent acts of kidnapping targeted at Ogbia to discredit us and create a feeling of insecurity in this local government.

    “Anything they do to Bayelsa is hot news that makes the front page of newspapers. So, you need to caution yourselves. My message to them (kidnappers) is that the people being held captive, particularly the innocent wife of ours, should be released without further delay.

    “For those who are thinking of that as a lifestyle, we enjoin you to desist because it is in your interest to do so.”

  • Payroll fraud: Bayelsa begins verification with Dickson, deputy

    Payroll fraud: Bayelsa begins verification with Dickson, deputy

    A verification and biometric capturing exercise to tackle payroll fraud began in Bayelsa State on Monday.

    The Governor of the state, Mr. Seriake Dickson and his deputy, Rear Admiral John Jonah (rtd) were the first to go through the exercise at the Due Process Office in Yenagoa, the state capital.

    The exercise was aimed at determining the actual number of workers to reduce the state over N3.5 billion monthly wage bill, described by people as outrageous.

    The governor and his deputy received their certificates and automated verification cards with serial numbers after the process.

    Dickson gave January 2014 as the deadline for the verification and warned that any worker not captured would forfeit his or her salary.

    The governor said he was determined to cleanse the payrolls of ghost workers to enable his administration plan for the workers.

    “This state is on a new course. It is on the course of doing things properly. And let me call on the public servants of this state to cooperate with the officers conducting this exercise.

    “This exercise means so much to us because we want to, for once and for all, put an end to the syndrome of ghost workers on our payroll.

    “We want to be able to identify who our workers are and plan and cater for them. I am happy that the measures that we have put in place since coming on board have yielded some dividends but this appears to be the most scientific way of determining who should be on our payroll.

    “And I want to commend you all. I have heard that you have already verified a few ministries, departments and agencies, so I want to call for cooperation on the part of the public servants that will be verified,” the governor said.

    He said nobody would be spared from going through the exercise, insisting that there would be no sacred cow.

     

  • Sylva’s loyalist sues Dickson, police

    Sylva’s loyalist sues Dickson, police

    After languishing in a Bayelsa State police cell for six days, Mr. Tonye Okio, a loyalist of former Governor of the state, Mr. Timipre Sylva, on Thursday initiated a court process to regain his freedom.

    Okio dragged the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, the police and the Attorney-General of the state before the state High Court sitting in Yenagoa challenging his “continued unlawful detention.”

    Okio, who was bundled from his Abuja residence to Bayelsa State by security operatives was initially believed to have been abducted by unknown gunmen.

    But the police in a statement signed by the Acting Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Peter Ogboi, confirmed that Okio was being detained in the state police command.

    The police claimed his arrest and detention was part of an investigation into alleged activities of a syndicate specialised in spreading seditious information.

    Okio’s travails started shortly after he allegedly published in his Facebook page that a certain South-south governor was recently arrested in the United States of America with $5million.

    But Okio in a suit slated for hearing on November 6 is asking the court to award him N2billion for his unlawful arrest and detention and N20million as damages for the pain, trauma, anguish and loss he suffered from the activities of the defendants.

    He wants the court to declare that his arrest and detention is contrary to section 35 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    He also wants a declaration that his “arrest and detention on the basis of a publication on his Facebook account was a brazen violation of his fundamental rights.”

    He prayed the court to rule that the physical and mental torture he has been subjected to amounted to a denial of his right to dignity.