The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Governor of Bayelsa state

  • Dickson to Shell: Relocate your headquarters to Niger Delta

    Dickson to Shell: Relocate your headquarters to Niger Delta

    Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has called on the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to become a pacesetter by first relocating its headquarters to the Niger Delta region.

    Dickson also appealed to SPDC to partner with his administration in delivering critical projects, such as the industrial park, power projects and construction of major roads in the state.

    The governor, who spoke at the weekend when the Managing Director of the SPDC and Country Chairman of Shell Companies, Mr. Osagie Okunbor paid him a courtesy visit in Government House, Yenagoa, insisted that Shell should lead the way.

    According to the governor, being the first company to exploit oil resources in the region,  Shell should should do the needful by bringing its corporate headquarters to the region.

    He said his government was ready to provide land to enable them carry out their operations.

    Dickson pointed out that, the huge reserves of gas in Bayelsa placed the state in a vantage position to generate enough power to drive the industrialization agenda of the state and the country.

    He also stressed the need for SPDC to mobilize other oil companies to collaborate with the state government to ensure the successful establishment of the Brass LNG and fertilizer plant projects, to create job opportunities and stimulate the local economy.

    On road construction, Dickson, who lauded SPDC and the NDDC for partnering to build the Ogbia-Nembe road, however, expressed the state government’s preparedness to collaborate with them to extend the road to Brass. 

    In his remarks, the Managing Director of SPDC, Mr. Osagie Okunbor, commended the restoration government’s development strides.

    He expressed his company’s willingness to consolidate on the infrastructure base and economic advancement of the state.

    Okunbor, particularly thanked Dickson, saying his leadership style had gone a long way in providing enabling environment for oil companies to operate without major disruptions in the state.

  • Group caution Dickson over comments on Jonathan’s Presidency

    Group caution Dickson over comments on Jonathan’s Presidency

    The Save Ijaw Nation Group has described as unfair, a statement credited to the Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, where he described the Jonathan’s Presidency, as a waste to the Ijaw Nation.

    The group in a statement issued in Bayelsa and signed by its Bayelsa State coordinator, Comrade Otobo Osborn described Governor Dickson’s statement as shocking, most unfair and uncharitable, especially as it is coming from a Governor, who had all access to demand for a fair deal for Bayelsa State, while Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was the President.

    “We are of the opinion, that Governor Dickson is not telling us the real issues he has with former President Jonathan. We also need to remind him, that Dr. Jonathan’s qualities and the good, that his administration attracted to the Ijaw Nation, are more than whatever Governor Dickson may consider as unfair, to the Ijaw Nation”.

    The group said it is sad, that Governor Dickson could fling caution out of the window to join those who take pleasure in criticizing and calling former President Jonathan all sorts of names, just because he is no longer the President.

    It said further: “This is a classical case of an ingrate biting the fingers that fed him. When it was convenient he ran to the former President for his blessing and support during the fierce battle for his second term bid against former governor Timipre Sylva. It is a known fact that Dickson turned against the former President soon after winning the election and has continued to wage a silent war against him for no just cause.

    “His speaking out is just a public expression of the mischief he has been masquerading all these years. But since he has decided to pay good with evil providence will definitely reward him with what he deserves.

    “One would have expected that Dickson as a Bayelsa indigene and political son of the former President would cut him some slack at a time when enemies are striving to rubbish his legacies. It is unfortunate that he is joining others to fight Jonathan. He just needs to look over the fence to see how Rivers State Governor is treating Jonathan in the true spirit of loyalty.”

    The group said all well-meaning Nigerians, appreciates the achievements of the Jonathan’s administration, while also reminding Governor Dickson, that Jonathan was elected the President of Nigeria, and not President of Ijaw Nation. This, the group says, was the basis of the administration; to spread its developmental efforts across the length and breadth of the country, a legacy which it says, still speak, after two years of his leaving office as the President of Nigeria.

     

  • Dickson vows to end teachers’ plight in Bayelsa

    Dickson vows to end teachers’ plight in Bayelsa

    The Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, has pledged to end plight of primary school teachers including issues surrounding their backlog of unpaid salaries.

    The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Jonathan Obuebite, in a statement issued on behalf of the state government, said the governor had demonstrated his zeal to permanently tackle the problem by setting up a committee to resolve the crisis.

    He said the governor had also ordered immediate release of funds to augment the payment of the teachers’ February salaries.

    Obuebite said an agreement had been reached between the government’s team and the State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT).

    He said that Dickson was not happy with recurrent issues of non-payment of teachers’ salaries and had decided to work with the local government councils to permanently address the problem.

    Obuebite thanked the headmasters of the various primary schools in the state for their active participation in the just-concluded two days workshop on preparation of vouchers for monthly payment of salaries. 

    He, however, lamented that the NUT Chairman and Secretary were working against various reforms in the sector.

    He said the government had been vindicated by its earlier allegations that the chairman and secretary were being used as tools by the opposition to destabilise the operations of the government.

    Obuebite attributed irregularities in the monthly payment of salaries to the recession in the country saying the problems would soon be over.

    He said: “However, it is wrong for any right-thinking individual to be playing politics with the issue of payment of salary. It has to do with lives and the wellbeing of the citizenry.

    “The Chairman and the Secretary of the union, instead of facing the reality and addressing the issue on ground are playing politics with the issue that affect their members.

    “As responsible and responsive leaders, they ought to know that payment of primary school staff is the sole responsibility of the local government authorities as clearly stated in the 4th schedule paragraph 2a of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

    “However, in spite of the constitutional provision and the National Education policy, the present administration because of its passion for the sector from inception after declaring the state of emergency took over the burden of the payment of primary school staff by taking 80% and later 60% of the entire salary burden of primary education. 

    “This is in spite of the provision of infrastructure for both primary and secondary schools in the state, which as at the last count is above N50 billion”.

  • Dickson orders appointees to declare assets

    Dickson orders appointees to declare assets

    …Receives lawmakers’ nod to engage 10 female advisers
    The Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson has ordered his appointees to declare their assets in line with the expectations of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

    Dickson, who spoke while receiving his Certificate of Verification and Clearance from a Federal Commissioner in the CCB, Chief Stephen Bekefula, said his administration made the declaration of assets a state policy from inception in 2012.

    The governor in a statement signed Friday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said the restoration government remained fully compliant with the policies and objectives of the CCB.

    Dickson said the people should be properly sensitised on the importance of declaring their assets, particularly the government appointees and civil servants.

    He said: “Since 2012, the government has made it a policy that before you are given an appointment, you must first declare your assets.  It is nothing unusual as I have done it severally before I became governor.

    “While I call on all appointees to be ready to for it, next year, probity will be the watchword, as every appointee will declare their assets before and after office”.

    Speaking, Bekefula explained that they were in the state to verify the properties of Dickson, deputy governor, secretary to the state government and the local government chairmen.

    He explained that, the code of assets declaration made it important for all political appointees to declare their assets, three months after the assumption of office.

    The Bayelsa State House of Assembly also approved the requests by Dickson’s to appoint 10 female special advisers and six commissioners into his cabinet.

    The approval came two weeks after the 24-member House granted the governor’s request to appoint 20 special advisers.

    The letter of request dated December 6, 2016 explained that the appointment of the 10 women was in the spirit of gender sensitivity and affirmative action.

    The House, presided over by Speaker Kombowei Benson, approved the request to engage the women with dispatch following a motion moved by Peter Akpe, Leader of the House, and seconded by Ingo Iwowari-Gold, a female member representing Nembe Constituency 2.

    But Benson said the House would screen the six commissioner-nominees on Friday this week.

    The nominated commissioners are, Mr. Austin Dressman, Mr. Erefagha Jonny Turner, Dr. Emomotimi Etebu, Mrs. Martha Jenakumo, Mrs. Ebiere Ajuwa Musah and Tamunobiere Oguoh.

    According to the letter the nominees were expected to fill some key vacancies in some ministries.

  • Dickson proposes N221bn budget estimate for 2017

    Dickson proposes N221bn budget estimate for 2017

    …Vows to complete projects

     

    The Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, has proposed a budget estimate of N221bn for 2017 fiscal year.

    The governor, who presented the estimate to the State House of Assembly for consideration and passage on Wednesday evening, vowed to complete his ongoing projects in the state.

    Presenting the appropriation bill christened, “Budget of Repositioning for Consolidation,” Dickson said, the estimate consisted of a recurrent expenditure of N136.9bn and capital expenditure of N84.3bn.

    Dickson said he expected the budget to be funded by statutory allocation estimated at N191billion, Value Added Tax N6.9billion, internally generated revenue of N15 billion and capital receipts of N8.07billion.

    On sectoral allocations, the governor said N26.9billion was allocated to the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure; education, N13.5billion; health N5.9billion and Agriculture and Natural Resources N4.024billion.

    Power Ministry was allocated N3.4billion, Budget and Economic Planning N3.3billion, Housing and Urban Development N3billion, Sports Development N2.5billion and Community Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, N2.3billion.

    Dickson said N2billion was allocated to the Ministry of Lands and Survey; Transport N1.9bn; Finance N1.7billion; Trade, Industry and Investment N0.739 billion; Information N0.631 billion and Water Resources N0.500 billion.

    He noted that the budget was targeted at achieving increased IGR, through taxation, re-organization of the public service, commercialization of the government-owned agencies and funding of tertiary institutions.

    He assured that by next year the government would only provide monthly subventions to its tertiary institutions, including the Niger Delta University, Amassoma, to address their critical infrastructural deficits and accreditation challenges.

    Dickson also said a special fund of N5billion would be injected for the promotion of entrepreneurship scheme expected to run through a counterpart funding arrangement.

    He listed some of the projects earmarked for completion as the state international airport, model secondary school, the 350 Melford Okilo Memorial Hospital adding that State Healthcare insurance scheme would also take-off.

  • Dickson to opponents: Forego your political differences

    Dickson to opponents: Forego your political differences

    The Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, has called on his opponents to forego their political differences and help his government develop the state.

    Dickson insisted that since elections were over, it was time for all stakeholders despite their political leanings to collaborate with his administration to move the state forward.

    Speaking at the 5th Annual Thanksgiving Day which ended on Wednesday evening at the uncompleted state Ecumenical Centre, Igbogene, Yenagoa, the governor urged people in the state to view themselves as brothers and sisters.

    The event was attended by many dignitaries such as, former Deputy Governor of the state, Mr. Peremobowei Ebebi, Secretary to State Government, Chief Serena Dokubo Spiff and the Chairman of the State Traditional Rulers Council, King Alfred Diete Spiff.

    Others were serving and former lawmakers including Chief Fred Agbedi representing the Ekeremor/Sagbama Federal Constituency.

    Dickson said: “I call for unity. The purpose of the thanksgiving is to bring all people in our state together. For us elections are over. We are brothers and sisters. It is normal for us to disagree on which way our state should go.

    “I use this opportunity to call for collaborations. Those who have contacts in Abuja should bring their contacts to join the little we are doing so that our state can benefit”.

    The governor further asked persons behind criminal activities in the state including persons destabilising the communities to embrace peace.

    He said his government would no longer tolerate kidnapping and leaders being maltreated and driven out of their communities.

    “Those who are destabilising communities should have a change of heart. We want communities and families to be peaceful. We want all local government areas to be peaceful. We don’t want to hear any more kidnapping in this state.

    “We don’t want to hear leaders being maltreated, being driven out and people banished from their communities. May this thanksgiving usher in a new wind of love and unity, cooperations and collaboration.

    “As a government, our hands are open and our doors are open. The thanksgiving should usher in a new window and a new air of cooperation”, he said.

    He described the thanksgiving as a day for individual spirituality and appealed to the people to observe it despite their locations.

    Dickson who narrated how he rose from a police constable to become the governor of the state, said the political events that led to his emergence and the need to move the state away from darkness led to the Thanksgiving Law.

    In his sermon, Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai, urged the people to key into governance and stop fighting one another.

    He said Bayelsa was divinely favoured as the first Eastern state to have produced a former President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

    Ukpai, who declared that Jonathan would rise again someday, some time, also appealed to the youths to respect their elders and imbibe discipline.

    He said: “This is the first state in the east to produce the President in this country. Only the grateful can be fruitful. I want you to see the hand of God behind what is happening here.

    “I am not even sure all of us here voted for Jonathan. It was an act of God. He came from this state. You may not like him but he is from this state. And I want to announce that he will arise again someday some time.

    “Let’s start governance and let us avoid fighting one another.  If you hate your father for flogging you, you have no future. Discipline is what makes an army to win battle. If you have no discipline you have no future.

    “If you live in a family where nobody corrects you, you are an accident waiting to happen. We must learn how to respect our elders and our parents because our future is in their hands”.

  • Dickson seeks elders’ help to end unrest, insecurity

    Dickson seeks elders’ help to end unrest, insecurity

    The Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, Saturday, 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 bare.

    “Although the state is not where it should be, but it is not where it used to be and that is something to be thankful for and we congratulate all Bayelsans for the 20th anniversary of the state”.

    Dickson further appealed to the elders to help in pacifying civil servants from their localities to accept the ongoing payment pattern as government could not pay full salaries at this time.

    ‎”Some of the major challenges this government is facing is the dwindling economy and security and we call for your collaboration to ensure law and order in all the local government areas”, he said.

    Dickson said he had made parcels of land available in the New Yenagoa City with favourable terms and conditions to bring them closer to his government.

    Earlier in his address, the Chairman of the forum, Chief Francis Doukpola, went down memory lane to narrate the creation of the state, its challenges successes so far recorded in the state.

    He congratulated the governor on his legal victory at the tribunal and the Appeal Court.

    Dickson was accompanied to the meeting by his deputy, John Jonah, Speaker of the State Assembly, Friday Konbowei Benson, Deputy Chief of Staff, Mrs Ebizi Ndiomu-Brown, Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Jonathan Obuebite, amongst others.

  • Dickson vows to treat land grabbers as criminals 

    Dickson vows to treat land grabbers as criminals 

    The Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, Thursday, warned persons encroaching on government land and property to desist or be treated as criminals.

    A statement signed by Dickson’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said the governor gave the warning when the State Special Task Force on Identification and Recovery of Government Lands, led by Chief Ige Iboro Edaba submitted its report to him.

    Dickson particularly called on persons still assuming ownership of land after collecting compensation to steer clear from the property.

    He asked them to approach the Ministry of Land and Survey to report unresolved issues.

    He said: “I want to call on land owners to desist from re-entering lands in respect of which, compensation has been paid. If compensation has not been fully paid and the government has already started developing the land, then respect the rights of the government, because that is the property of everybody, including you.

    “You can approach the Ministry of Lands and Survey and then discuss with them, as to how they can complete the acquisition.

    “But, the solution is not to collect compensation money from government and then go back and sell government lands. We will treat those people as pure criminals that they are and we will begin the process of recovering all such lands.”

    Dickson, who promised to study the report, directed the ministries of Justice and lands and Survey to take measures in recovering all affected government land.

    Presenting the report of the task force, Edaba decried the level of encroachment on government land saying some land owners, who received compensation re-entered and in most cases re-sold such land.

    He cited some of the affected areas in the Yenagoa metropolis as, BYCAS at Elebele, Central Business District and Opolo Housing Estate, where government had acquired 200 hectares of land for which 70% had been re-sold.

    Edaba also stressed the need for all ministries, departments and agencies to acquire land, through the Ministry of Lands and Survey to promoting a centralized land acquisition system and expedite action on recovery of encroached lands.

  • Students groan as Dickson fails to reopen Bayelsa varsity

    Students groan as Dickson fails to reopen Bayelsa varsity

    Three students, lecturer lose lives

    ASUU reduces demands, denies suspending action

    The Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, has failed to resolve the ongoing industrial action involving all categories of workers at the only state-owned Niger Delta University (NDU) five months after the institution was shut down.

    Investigations revealed that the closure of the institution has dealt deadly blows on the students and lecturers who are at the receiving end of idleness and economic hardship caused by non-payment of salaries.

    Lecturers under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other categories of workers commenced industrial action in April to protest the inability of the government to pay them salaries since January.

    The workers said having suffered to discharge their duties without salaries from January to April, they were no longer unable to cope with domestic pressure and cost of going to school for their lectures.

    ASUU declared work-to-rule, asked its members to stay at home pending when government would ameliorate their hardship by paying their backlog of salaries.

    But negotiations to resolve the conflict between the government and the workers were said to have met brick-walls following allegations by ASUU that the government instead of seriously tackling the issues resorted to blackmails to cow them.

    It was further learnt that while ASUU had reduced their terms demanding only two months salaries out of the four they earlier wanted, the government had yet to shift ground on its proposed 50 per cent salaries for two months.

    It was further learnt that within the period of the strike, three students and a lecturer of the university lost their lives in circumstances blamed on the action.

     

  • Dickson blames predecessors for non-payment of pensioners 

     

     

    The Governor of Bayelsa state, Mr. Seriake Dickson, Tuesday, blamed the inability of his government to pay pensioners their monthly entitlements on his predecessors.

    The governor in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, spoke in Yenagoa when he constituted the state and local government pension boards.

    Pensioners are owed about nine months of unpaid arrears in the state.

    Dickson said: “The government inherited a liability of about N6billion; we then worked out a mechanism where we set aside N500million for monthly payment until the last 8 months that the state allocation from the federation account started dropping.

    “For about eight months the pensioners have not been paid and that is very touching because for four years, we did not fail to pay pensioners until the last eight months.

    “Now for this old men and women are on account of the failure of the leadership of the past, we are now unable to meet our obligations to them.

    “We want to use this opportunity to ask for understanding, for people who gave their all for years in the service of the state. We appreciate their service to the state and we will leave no stone unturned to ensure that they begin to get their pension every month.”

    But Dickson charged the new boards to make concerted efforts at ensuring the physical verification of all pensioners.

    He gave them an assurance that payment of those identified will commence with immediate effect and lamented the untold hardship of pensioners in the last eight months.

    The state pensions’ board is to be headed by Mrs. Jane Alek, while Sir Frazer Okuoru, is to chair the LG pensions’ board.

    While Owie Biate Igoni will serve as Secretary of the State Pensions Board; Nathan Ayibakeme, Mr. Leader Tamatimigha, Dr. Martha Akpana and HRH Darius Job are to serve as directors, with 1: ex-officio members.

    The local LG pensions’ board has Mr. Mathias Otuogha as Secretary and six other members.

    The governor said he was determined Dickson to completely eradicate payroll fraud in the state and charged both boards to swing into action immediately.

    He advised members of the boards to collaborate with the various ministries, departments, agencies and parastatals to ensure that the names of dead pensioners and persons who above 70 years and above are detected and expunged from the payrolls of the government.

    He said: “This board has a number of experienced people, who can give advice and guidance, and I call for collaboration among those on the board and the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to identify all those who are dead and are still on the payroll of the government, and those over 70-80 years still collecting salaries.

    “I charge you all to ensure that all those who are going to be paid are verified.  You have to verify each and every one of them, interact with them, go to them if they are too weak to come, take their photographs, very their age and particulars.”