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Tag: Francis Ottah Agbo

  • Dickson shops for replacements as aides seek PDP tickets

    …CPS leaves for Benue

     

    The Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, is seeking competent persons to fill vacancies created in his cabinet following resignations of his aides.

    It was gathered on Friday that many of his aides left their appointments to obtain expression of interest and nomination forms for the forthcoming Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary elections.

    Dickson earlier directed that aides interested in PDP tickets should resign their appointments and leave his government to pursue their ambitions.

    Latest to submit their expression of interest and nomination forms were the Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr. Francis Ottah-Agbo and the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Lawrence Ewrujakpor.

    Though it was not clear whether Ottah-Agbo formally resigned his appointment as directed by the governor, he was said to have traveled to Benue, his state to submit his forms.

    Ottah-Agbo, who styled his campaign as the moving train, is seeking the PDP ticket to represent Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency in the National Assembly.

    Sources said there was no way the CPS would have traveled to Benue to struggle for a PDP ticket without first resigning his appointment to avoid creating a vacuum.

    Already, competent aides in the governor’s media team such as the SpecialAdviser on Media Relations, Fidelis Soriwei and the Special Adviser on Public Affairs, Daniel Alabrah were said to be jostling for the position of the CPS.

    But Ewrudjakpor’s ambition to clinch the PDP’s ticket for the Bayelsa West Senatorial District was said to be generating mixed feelings in Dickson’s cabinet.

    The cabinet members were said to have applauded the move but at the same time unhappy that a person of his quality and competence would be missing in the government.

    Described as a super commissioner, Ewrujakpor, a confidant of Dickson, has been instrumental to the strides of the governor on infrastructures.

    Most of the cabinet members said it would be extremely difficult for the governor to find a replacement for Ewruhjakpor.

    Other key members of Dickson’s political family such as the Speaker, House of Assembly, Kombowei Benson, lawmakers representing Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma and Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal constituencies, Douye Diri and Fred Agbedi as well as former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Prof Steve Azaiki also submitted their forms.

    The aspirants alongside their teeming supporters defied heavy downpour to submit forms ahead party primaries scheduled for September ending.

    Ewrudjakpo, in an interview with the newsmen shortly after the submission of his nomination form said his decision to join the race is hinged on bringing government to the grassroots, and, as well fast tracking infrastructural development in the state.

    He bemoaned inadequate federal presence in the state, in spite of Bayelsa’s contributions to the socioeconomic growth of the country.

    “These are the issues that needed to be addressed through restructuring and proper legislations”, he said.

    He said as a lawyer, he would bring his wealth of experience on the bench to bear in the act of law making and true representation.

    The aspirant thanked the teeming youths from the senatorial district for the confidence reposed in him and promised not to let them down.

    Also, Benson, Diri and Agbedi, said law-making was not a tea party but a serious business adding that their experiences as lawmakers would assist in sponsoring bills that would be beneficial to the people of the state.

  • Mum was my rock, biggest supporter, says Dickson

    Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson on Tuesday described his late mother, Mrs. Goldcoast Dickson as his rock, elder sister, friend, biggest supporter, and an integral part of his life.

    He said the life of her mother he fondly called Mama Gogo impacted positively on him an on many who met her.

    Dickson spoke when members of the National Assembly representing the state, paid him a condolence visit in Government House, Yenagoa.

    A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Francis Ottah Agbo quoted Dickson, as saying that, his mother’s love, devotion and warmth towards him and his siblings could never be quantified.

    Dickson expressed sadness over the passage of his mother, saying the vacuum created by her departure would be difficult to fill, as she always prayed for him and for his administration to succeed.

    He said: “My mum was my rock. She was not just my mother, she was my elder sister; she had me very early; she was my friend and my biggest supporter in anything I wanted to do.

    Read Also: Dickson loses mother to cancer

    “And she was always praying and encouraging me. Today, for the first time since her death, as we finished the morning devotion, I didn’t have my mother to hug me because every morning after devotion, she would hug me!

    “After every morning devotion, she would bless me and pronounce strength and God’s guidance and she did that till the very end. Even on her hospital bed, she was praying and blessing all her children so this is one vacuum that will be very difficult to fill.”

    The Governor, who said the Dickson family was going through a trying period, noted that, Mrs. Dickson would be greatly missed and expressed appreciation to all sympathizers, who identified with them in their movement of grief.

     

  • Dickson urges Buhari to start work on Brass LNG, refinery

    Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, on Wednesday appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari, to remove obstacles delaying commencement of work on the Brass Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) and refinery project in the state.

    Speaking at a stakeholder’s meeting of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Yenagoa, the governor said the lack of federal projects in Bayelsa was unacceptable.

    In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Francis Ottah-Agbo, the governor said the two projects would give Ijaw people a sense of belonging and expand the revenue base of the country.

    He lamented the backwardness of the Ijaw in terms of development and urged the Federal Government and multinational corporations to partner the state government to tackle infrastructural deficit in the area.

    Dickson said his administration was working hard with lean resources to fund development projects such as construction of major roads and bridges, schools and health institutions.

    He said:  “I play politics of development. My team and I, came in with anger to develop this place and by the grace of God, we have achieved that to some enviable level with the able support you have all been giving as stakeholders of our great party. And we are determined to do more before we leave office for another PDP government.

    “I say so because only the PDP can win any election in this state. The people of Bayelsa have seen our capacity to deliver on our promises even in the face of the worst recession that hit this state and the country in general.

    Read Also: Dickson orders arrest of LG official

    “As I speak with you, work is ongoing on in the Sagbama-Ekeremor Road and we are sure of driving to Ekeremor Town by December this year. In the next few weeks, I will invite you and we all drive to Aguobiri in Southern Ijaw. Also, clearing of the Yenagoa-Ayama,Ogbia road will start in the next two weeks.

    “All these are capital intensive projects and that is why we are calling on the Federal Government and other development partners to come to our aid. In one of my meetings with the President, I told him to bring back the Brass LNG and the Refinery Projects and also convene a stakeholders meeting to talk about the Nembe-Brass Road.”

    Dickson further urged PDP faithful with ambitions to contest the forthcoming state and National Assembly elections not to heat up the polity but maintain the discipline and decorum existing in the state chapter of the party.

    Describing all political ambitions as legitimate, he asked the aspirants to pray and consult properly with readiness to uphold party supremacy as the state PDP would only feature its best in the upcoming elections.

    He thanked the members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who defected to the PDP, reassuring them of full reintegration and support.

    Some of the dignitaries at the stakeholders’ meeting were the Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral  John Jonah (Retd),  Chief Walter Feghabo-Amain, State PDP Chairman, Moses Cleopas, Senators Ben Murray-Bruce, Nimi Barigha Amange, Emmanuel Diffa, AVM Larry Koinya, members of the Federal House of Representatives and  Fyneman Wilson among others.

  • Education Trust Fund hits N800m in Bayelsa

    Education Trust Fund hits N800m in Bayelsa

     

    The Bayelsa State Education Trust Fund (BSETF) has recorded N800m contributions from workers, government officials and other categories of persons within ten months.

    The state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, on March 31, 2017, signed the BSETF and the state Higher Education Student Loan bills passed by the state House of Assembly into law.

    The BSETF makes it compulsory for different categories of workers including contractors and civil servants in the state to pay education levies.

    Dickson inaugurated a board to administer the fund and appointed a famous educationist, Prof. Turner Isoun, as its Chairman.

    Isoun on Wednesday, while submitting the 2017 Annual Report of the fund to the governor in Government House, Yenagoa, said between March and December, the trust fund received N800m from taxable stakeholders.

    Out of the total receipt, he said N300m was expended leaving a balance of N500m.

    Dickson urged the private sector, particularly corporate organisations and individuals to make contributions to the trust fund, to enable indigent children acquire free and qualitative education.

    A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Francis Ottah Agbo, quoted Dickson as saying that the programme was targeted at delivering “the democratization of knowledge” in the state.

    He called on the people of the state to take ownership of the education programme and explained that the Fund was aimed at strengthening education to increase the literacy level in the state.

    Dickson commended the Chairman and members of the board for the prudent management of the funds.

    He directed the board in collaboration with the Ministries of Information and Orientation as well as Education in creating the needed awareness for people to identity with the education policy.

    He said: “I call on our people to own this programme, which is for your benefit. This programme is to deepen education and deliver what, I always call, the democratization of knowledge, where we are taking children from the underprivileged circumstances and backgrounds and putting them in boarding secondary schools and taking responsibility for their feeding, clothing books and everything.

    “We are doing that now and the schools are in all the local government areas and we are still working on more. I call on the board to increase their enlightenment.

    “I want to direct the Commissioner for Education and Ministry of Information also to jointly, working together with the board,  to increase the awareness on behalf of the people about the benefits of this programme and then, most importantly, about their duties.

    “I also want to use this opportunity to call on the private sector, especially, the international oil companies that have been making billions of dollars on this soil without giving much back. I want to call for collaboration.

    “I have mandated the chairman and the board to establish contacts with all local and international companies that are operating in this state to assess and impose a special levy.

    “The law provides for the board to assess and levy individuals and leaders of this state irrespective of where they may reside. We expect the board to do more especially in the area of increasing their dragnet.”

    Prof. Isoun also said that the fund would go a long way in addressing the challenges in the education sector and assist the people participate effectively in a knowledge-driven economy.

    Also speaking, the Commissioner for Education, Mr. Jonathan Obuebite and his Information and Orientation counterpart, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said the fund was instituted to ensure sustainability of the gains in the education sector and to secure the future of the children.

    Describing the educational programme as highly commendable, they added that, with the fund in place, indigent children would have easy access to quality education.

     

  • Nigeria, Bayelsa have made progress, says Dickson

    Nigeria, Bayelsa have made progress, says Dickson

    Governor Seriake Dickson has advised the people of Bayelsa State and Nigerians in general not to despair, despite the challenges of the present times.

    The governor in a statement to mark the 57th independence anniversary of Nigeria and 21st birthday of Bayelsa, said the country and the state had made some progress despite the challenges.

    The governor in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Francis Ottah Agbo, called on Bayelsans and all Nigerians to take advantage of the celebration to reflect on “where we were, where we are now, and where we ought to be as a nation.”

    He said:  “I therefore, urge all Bayelsans and indeed Nigerians to rekindle hope in the state and in our country. We might not have attained the height we expect, but it is also true that, we are not where we were.

    “Progress and development is block upon block. Gradually, but steadily, we are making good progress. Our vision and commitment to a better Bayelsa and a stronger Ijaw nation remain unwavering”.

    He also urged all Bayelsans and the Ijaw nation to rekindle their hope in the greatness of the state and the country, adding that, “if Bayelsa is great, Nigeria will be great again”.

    While paying glowing tributes to the founding fathers of Bayelsa state, Dickson acknowledged their immeasurable sacrifices that resulted in Bayelsa becoming a reality.

    “But for the sacrifice, zeal, commitment and dedication of our founding fathers, Bayelsa would have remained a mere dream.

    “As I reflect on their role today, I can only, but rededicate myself and the Restoration Government I lead to the development ideals of the Bayelsa founding fathers.

    “This inspires a renewed commitment to uphold, meet and even surpass the expectations of those who laid the foundation on which we are building on. My administration will never disappoint the founding fathers and the people of the state, who gave us this mandate, which to us is sacred”, he said.

    The governor solicited the cooperation and support of all Bayelsans and the Ijaw nation irrespective of political differences, noting that, building a great state required the support of everyone.

    Dickson appreciated the goodwill of the people and promised to consolidate on the  gains of his administration in the last five years.

    He assured that, he would continue to run an all-inclusive and open government for all Bayelsans.

    He called on all Bayelsa leaders, in different capacities not to wage unnecessary battles of division, that had stopped the state from attaining its full potential, but to use their time and resources to support the development of the state for benefit of all and sundry.

    Dickson equally congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerians on the country’s independence anniversary.

    While reiterating his call on Nigerians not to give up on the country, he noted that, the challenges confronting Nigeria were surmountable.