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Tag: Mr. Seriake Dickson

  • 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 moves to rescue stranded scholarship students abroad 

    Dickson moves to rescue stranded scholarship students abroad 

    The Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, is worried about the plight of state’s students studying abroad under his administration’s scholarship scheme.

    The students were said to be having a tough time over non-payment of their fees with the schools threatening to expel them.

    A human rights activist, Aluzu Augustine, particularly raised the issue of Bayelsa students stranded at the Kings University College, Ghana.

    Aluzu raised the concern sequel to a letter addressed to the students by the Registrar of the school, Simion Peter Isekpo, threatening to expel the students if Dickson failed to pay their fees.

    The letter said in part: “Management of the university wishes to inform all students being sponsored by the Bayelsa State Scholarship Board that should your outstanding and current fees not be paid by October 15, 2016 deadline, the university would have no choice but expel you from the university on October 16, 2016.

    “Also affected undergraduate and postgraduate students who have completed their programme would not be allowed to participate in the forthcoming congregation in November 2016”.

    Already, it was gathered that the Ghanaian school banned the affected students from participating in school activities, but had yet to issue a circular expelling them.

    “We have been told that the governor is sending a delegation to our school. But for now we have been stopped from taking parts in school activities. 

    “Those of us in hostels had been asked to vacate. We are just hanging around waiting for the governor”, an affected student who spoke in confidence said.

    But the governor was said to be handling the matter including a similar situation in the United Kingdom with urgency through his Senior Special Assistant on Students’ Welfare, Mr. Owoupele Jeremiah.

    Jeremiah confirmed that Dickson had directed that funds should be released for the immediate payment of the students to enable them participate in examinations and access their certificates.

    He said: “Today the governor told me he had graciously  given approval and directive for release of funds  to quickly address the payment issues for Kings College, Lincoln and universities in the UK whose certificates are pending. 

    “A well-structured payment plan has been established to be implemented phase by phase by the board . 

    “This will allow the government to address them so that their certificates can be released to enable them use same for their various endeavours.

    “While some may find this development with skepticism it is intended to let the public know that the government is responsive and willing to deal with issues of development in human capital.

    “The resources are lean but with a pyramid of preference the needs will be met eventually.  The scholarship board will do the needful and the affected  students will receive their privileges restored in the affected institutions”.

    When contacted, Aluzu said: “We have been informed by a reliable source in Kings College that the students are aware of the impending visit of Bayelsa state Government to their institution and they are waiting for them. Nothing concrete so far

    “We pray the Government truly do something this time around and not just another hokum talk like we witnessed in 2013 because education remains the bedrock of every society”.

  • Bayelsa exco hails Dickson’s victory at Supreme Court

    Bayelsa exco hails Dickson’s victory at Supreme Court

    The Bayelsa State Executive Council, on Tuesday, hailed the victory of the state Governor, Mr Seriake Dickson and his deputy, Rear Admiral John Jonah (rtd) ‎at the Supreme Court.

    Other members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gathered in different groups at strategic areas in Yenagoa, the state capital to celebrate the victory.

    Spokesman of the Council and Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Jonathan Obuebite in a statement entitled, ‎”Affirmation of Divine Mandate” attributed the victory to God.

    He said the unanimous judgment of the apex court was a confirmation of a divine pronouncement that “for once, the seat of power in Bayelsa will be occupied for eight years”.

    Obuebite boasted that even if elections were conducted a thousand times Dickson and Jonah would still emerge winners.

    He said: “As a council we congratulate our amiable governor and his deputy‎ for the sweet victory which although did not come to us as a surprise because we knew that with the facts before their lordships the APC had no case”.

    “What the APC and its candidate did was to waste their time and that of the judiciary. Chief Timipre Sylva knew he cannot ‎have won that case. All attempt to subvert the will of justice was to no avail”.

    ‎He also hailed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and  Bayelsans who stood by the restoration government, saying “their prayers for this victory was not in vain” .

    He urged them to always support the Dickson’s administration.

    The Commissioner remarked that with all the legal hurdles crossed, the government will now be more focused to continue its mandate of quality service delivery to the people and enjoined Sylva and the APC to forget any new form of distraction.

    According to him God has chosen the duo of Dickson and Jonah to lead the state and no one can challenge such authority as the power he stressed comes from God‎ and he gives it to those he deems fit.

    ‎” We know them, those on the other side that pained and frustrated by this defeat they will regroup in one way or the other to start fresh problems but they will not succeed. Never again shall our people be subjected to pain and lack” it concluded.

  • 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.

     

  • Jonathan, PDP underdeveloped Bayelsa – APC

    Jonathan, PDP underdeveloped Bayelsa – APC

    The Bayelsa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Tuesday, challenged the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, to show the people of the state the federal presence Bayelsa  has attracted throughout the 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government and six years of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

    The party said Jonathan, Dickson and his party have underdeveloped the state and squandered golden opportunities to attract development to Bayelsa.

    The party was reacting to a statement by Dickson that leaders of the APC should use their contacts and connections to attract federal presence to the state.

    But APC in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Panebi Fortune described the governor’s remarks as “mischievous and loose”.

    The statement described the immediate past president and his party, the PDP as liabilities to the people of the state.

    APC said: ”Our attention was today drawn to a mischievous and loose statement credited to the Bayelsa state governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, apparently in clear exhibition of arrogance and shallowness that APC leaders from Bayelsa state were yet to attract development to the state.

    ”From the statement, it was clear that the governor was either being misled by his own imagination or ‎was merely merely expressing another misguided view of our party, the APC.

    ”In our view, the statement was reckless even as it was a shameless show of brazen arrogance by a man whose party,the PDP had an ample opportunity to develop Bayelsa state that looked the other way.

    ”Does it not show much of political liability that while Jonathan,a son of Bayelsa state held sway for six years, the state is yet to take off on? What template of development did the former president lay before he was voted out of office? For us in the APC and indeed the generality of Bayelsans, both Jonathan and his party, the PDP were liabilities than they were assets to the people of the state. They underdeveloped Bayelsa state.”

    It added: ”May we use this medium to remind Governor Dickson that rather than chasing shadows and engaging in blackmail, he should consider the plight of Bayelsa workers and pay their salaries. The level of hunger, despair and insecurity occasioned by poverty we thought,could ‎be of paramount interest to him.

    ”It is a shame that despite the God-given opportunity, Jonathan and his party decided to impoverish the people of Bayelsa state just as Governor Dickson, like an emperor, has taken solace in a conquest-like squeeze of the people.

    ”We use this medium to advise Governor Dickson to face governance during this period of judicial reprieve as the days of justice are not too far away. It can only be preposterous that development which had eluded our dear state over the years under a PDP national government can be hurriedly canvassed to wrestled to Bayelsa within 15 months of President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

    ”For our teeming supporters, we enjoin you to remain steadfast and ignore provocative moves orchestrated by the state government and its agents to trigger unease. We will win at the end of the battle.”

  • NUC approves new Bayelsa’s varsity in Dickson’s village

    NUC approves new Bayelsa’s varsity in Dickson’s village

    The National University Commission (NUC) has approved the University of Africa (UA), Toru-Orua, the community of the Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, as the 43rd state university in the country.

    Its approval was reportedly followed the formal presentation of the relevant gazette law, academic brief, physical master plan and the report of the advisory assessment visit by the commission.

    The UA, Toru-Orua, is said to be an initiative of the Bayelsa State Government expected to run as a Public Private Partnership (PPP) project.

    The state government is required to only provide the enabling environment, while the financing would reportedly come from the private sector.

    The NUC was said to have given its nod for the university in a letter dated July 28, 2016.

    According to a statement signed by Dickson’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, the Executive Secretary of the commission, Prof. Julius Okojie, congratulated the state government.

    He noted that, the establishment of the university took effect from the 28th of July, having complied with the basic requirements adding that the AU is also the 143rd in the Nigerian university system.

    In the statement, Iworiso-Markson, said Dickson led a delegation of top government officials to the office of the commission in Abuja and were received by executive secretary, who briefed the governor on the latest development and the approval of the university.

    The statement disclosed that, Okojie handed over the letter of approval to Dickson during the visit, and commended him for the initiative.

    In his remarks, Dickson thanked Okojie for the warm reception accorded him and his team, explaining that, the AU, Toru-Orua was conceived as a public private partnership.

    He said it was designed as a first rate institution of learning that would also attract some of the best teachers from Africa and the world.

    He said the university would be funded by its partners and the government would only provide the enabling environment for its establishment.

    Dickson said, there was need for more fee-paying private universities to be established adding that it was the only way to make funding of tertiary institutions viable and sustainable.

    He said: “I am here leading this small delegation to present to you these laws passed by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, establishing a new university that we want to bring about working with the private sector. It will be run on a PPP basis.

    “It is a University unlike the existing one, it will not be directly funded by the state. Our belief is that moving forward for a university to be sustainable, we must create room for private sector participation and involvement.

    “The University of Africa, Toru-Orua, is the first of its kind in this country, that is established by government with private sector involvement and it will be strictly a fee paying tertiary institution that will attract students from across the continent and the globe. It will be the model as we encourage more private universities in this country.”