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Tag: Seriake Dickson

  • Dickson to host Bayelsa Heroes Award Dinner on Democracy Day

    BAYELSA State governor, Seriake Dickson would be the Chief Host of  the Bayelsa Heroes Award for Academic Excellence which would hold on the 29th May 2018 in the state.
    A statement by the Mr. Victor Sameria Executive Secretary of Future Leaders Project ,FLP, said the forum is to celebrate and honour those who graduated with First Class Honours or distinction in their chosen area of discipline.
    The statement reads: “The Special Awards Committee, SAC, of the Future Leaders Project ,FLP, is now accepting nominations/applications from the public to nominate outstanding indigenes of Bayelsa State who have distinguished themselves in their academic pursuits.
    The philosophy of this award is to  honour those who graduated with First Class Honours or Distinction in their chosen areas of discipline. It is our belief that the time has come for us to deliberately change the narrative in our society by encouraging hard work over militancy, kidnapping, thuggery, cultism and other forms of social vices.
    More so, this will serve as an avenue to showcase the educational profile of Bayelsa State.  The award dinner holds on May 29, 2018 at the DSP Alamieyeseigha Banquet Hall in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State at 5 pm. Renowned  Architect Harcourt Adukeh would be the Chairman of the event.” It’s said that former President Goodluck Jonathan will be the Special Guest of Honour couple with other notable personalities.

  • Wives of monarchs seek lasting peace in Niger Delta

    Queens from various kingdoms in the nine states of the Niger Delta region at the weekend pledged to work with their husbands to sustain the existing peace in the region.

    Rising from their maiden summit convened by the Queen of the Brass Kingdom, Her Majesty, Dr. Josephine Diete-Spiff, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, the queens said there was no alternative to peace and expressed their commitment to ensuring peaceful coexistence in their kingdoms.

    The queens in a communique after their deliberations said they would henceforth address issues bordering on peace affecting the region under an association to be called the Niger Delta Royal Queens Forum (NDRQF).

    The forum appealed to the government at all levels to intensify efforts to protect women, the girl-child and children from abuses and deprivation.

    The royal queens said they would launch sustained campaigns to end all forms of gender-based violence.

    The forum tasked all royal queens to advocate for the education of the girl-child and promote adult and functional education to change the status of women and girls in the region.

    They insisted that tackling such issues would promote peace, end restiveness and attract development to the region.

    The forum also asked its members to be proactive in supporting their husbands in developing their domains and empowering their subjects.

    They vowed to work against rape, defilements, trafficking, organ harvesting and abuse of orphanages.

    The maiden summit with a theme, an enlightened queen is an enlightened community, was attended by Royal queens from the nine states of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo no Rivers State.

    The summit, which was declared open by the Arch Bishop of the Niger Delta Anglican Communion, Ignatius Kattey and chaired by the Chairman of Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers, His Royal Majesty King Alfred Diete-Spiff, was hosted by the state’s First Lady, Dr. Rachel Dickson.

    The queens commended the state Governor Seriake Dickson, his wife, Rachel, Senator Ben Bruce, Mr. Sunny Goli, Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and the Belema Oil for supporting their peace summit.

  • Gunmen kill Dickson’s aide in Bayelsa

    An aide to Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has been killed by suspected assassins.

    Ebikimi Okoringa, who was recently appointed a Special Adviser to Dickson, was shot dead at his hometown in Kolokuma-Opokuma local government area of the state.

    The victim, a two-time councillor and former Acting Chairman of the LGA, was killed at about 10:00 p.m. on Monday.

    A community source, who spoke in confidence, said the assailant laid ambush close to the victim’s house and shot him immediately he alighted from his car.

    “They waited for him in the cover of darkness. Immediately he alighted from his car and walked towards the door, they released the first bullet.

    “The bullet tore his hand but he started running to escape from the scene. The assailants chased him to a point where he fell down. They pumped many bullets into his body at a close range,” he said.

    The source said the killers ensured their victim was dead before they fled the scene.

  • Dickson’s cup: Commissioner urges Bayelsa youths to be law abiding

    Mr Buruboyefe Perekiye, the Bayelsa Commissioner for Sports, has called on youths in the state to be law abiding, during on-going second edition of the Gov. Seriake Dickson’s Football Tourney.

    Perekiye gave the advice in a statement issued to newsmen on Saturday in Yenagoa, by Mr Daniel Alabrah, Media Director of the Tournament.

    The newsmen reports that the 2018 of the tournament tagged: “Restoration Cup” commenced on Friday at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex, Yenagoa.

    The Commissioner called on all participating clubs to remain peaceful throughout the period of the competition to ensure its success.

    He also used the platform to enjoin them to remain law abiding, and take advantage of the numerous policies and programs of Dickson-led government.

    Mr Mablas Macaulay, a retired broadcaster from the state-owned radio FM, 97.1, told the newsmen that the competition was a good move to engage the Bayelsa youths meaningfully.

    “This is a way to catch them young for better use and for the betterment of the society. “It is a big game, at least N5 million for the winner is not a small money,’’ Macaulay said.

    The newsmen reports that in the kick-off game played on Friday, Agudama FC defeated Onopa Community FC 3-0.

    Junior Christopher, a striker of Agudama FC, scored the hat-trick, to secure a three nil victory for his team against the Onopa FC.

    Read Also: As Dickson tackles Bayelsa’s education challenges with new innovation

    He commended the governor on the competition, and urged the youths to remain focused.

    “I thank the governor for making the tournament come on board; I urge my fellow youths to remain focus for a better society,’’ he said.

    The newsmen also reports that the tournament has entries from 135 club sides across towns and communities of Bayelsa.

    Mr Ono Akpe, Director General of the competition, said that the winning team would get N5 million, N3 million for the second position, and N2 million for the third place position respectively.

    “Consolation prizes include, N500,000 for the fourth best team, N200,000 for the best behaved team, N100,000 each for the best goalkeeper, highest goal scorer, and of course, the most valuable player,” he added.

    NAN

  • Commonwealth Games: wrestlers commend Gov. Dickson over rewards

    Welson Ebikewenimo, 2018 Commonwealth bronze medalist, and gold medalist Odunayo Adekuoroye, on Friday commended Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State for hosting and rewarding Team Nigeria Wrestlers in Yenegoa.

    The wrestlers in separate interviews told our reporter on telephone from Ibadan that they appreciated the governor’s kind gesture.

    Ebikewenimo, who won silver at the 2010 and 2014 Commonwealth Games, said the hosting of the wrestlers by the governor was a motivation to them, hence the governor deserved some accolades.

    He said the federation had been fantastic for over five years with outstanding performances at the World Championships, African Championships and other competitions preceding the Commonwealth Games.

    The Bayelsa-born wrestler said Gov. Dickson had justified his place in history as a sports loving governor, most especially to the Nigeria Wrestling Federation.

    “I’m proud to be associated with my governor, he recognised us after the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland and now he has done same thing again.

    “I think the governor deserves some accolades. Over 15 wrestlers are employed under the Bayelsa State Government.

    “This alone tells the world that wrestling is part of the Niger Delta.

    “Every week, most local government organise traditional wrestling and most of us take part in this historic event to keep fit and it’s supported by the governor himself,” Ebikewenimo said.

    Read Also:   CommonwealthGames: Nigeria medalists owed $90,000

    He also commended the relentless efforts of the President of Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Daniel Igali, for the immense support for wrestling team and his promise to make the country proud subsequently.

    Two times Commonwealth Champion, Adekuoroye, said the act exhibited by Gov. Dickson showed him as a lover of wrestling.

    “His Excellency Seriake Henry Dickson the Governor of Bayelsa State thank you sir, I am completely overwhelmed”.

    “It really showed how much you love and care for sports people and youth in general, I greatly appreciate,” the Olympian said.

    Each gold medalist got N1.5 million, silver medalist got N1million, while the bronze medalist got N 700,000.
    The wrestlers who failed to win a medal were not left out as they got N500, 000 naira, while the coaching crew got N1million each.

     

  • 5000 defect to PDP in Bayelsa

    Dickson forecloses victory for non-PDP members

     

    About 5000 persons on Thursday defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State.

    The defectors were led majorly by former political appointees, who left the PDP for the APC during the last governorship election in the state.

    Receiving the defectors at the PDP Secretariat in Yenagoa, the state Governor Seriake Dickson said their decision to rejoin their former political family was a welcome development.

    He said PDP remained the only political platform that would guarantee victory for persons seeking elections into various positions in 2019.

    Describing the APC as the party of lies and fake promises, Dickson assured the defectors that PDP would create a level playing field and fairness for all them.

    He said the PDP governnent in Bayelsa under his watch placed the state on the path of peace, prosperity and development adding that Bayelsans were happy with the party.

    He told the returnees to abide by the rules of the party promising that thry would be properly integrated with their rights and privileges restored in the party.

    He said:  “The PDP is the only party that has a developmental agenda for the Ijaw people. What we do in PDP is to strategise to win elections and after elections we work for the development of our people because we are in politics to serve our people.

    “The other party comes to kill our people because they lack the vision, they have no agenda for our people except to destroy what our founding fathers have built  and what our Restoration Government is consolidating.

    “Except us, no person, nobody in the South-South in any party won election under the ruling APC. We were the first to win election in the South-South under the Muhammadu Buhari’s Presidency.

    “Any person who is deceived to contest election in 2019 on another platform other than PDP will still lose because only PDP can will election in Bayelsa State”.

    Dickson charges the party leadership not to allow any of the returnees suffer on account of their earlier mistakes of jilting the PDP.

    Earlier, state Chairman of PDP, Moses Cloepas,  said only his party had the capacity to defeat federal  might as it did in 2016 when Dickson was reelected against all odds.

    In 2019, the Chairman said PDP would reenact its winning streak by sweeping the polls.

    He said: “Bayelsa PDP is invincible. No force can defeat us. The APC deployed all the repressive apparatus to capture Bayelsa by hook or crook in 2016 but we deployed People’s power to reelect Governor Seriake Dickson, a performing Governor, a visionary leader and leader of the party in the state.

    “All of you returning to the party are welcome. You won’t suffer any loss or discrimination”.

    Also, the Special Adviser to the Governor, Chief Fynman Wilson said the PDP was working hard to mop up the remnants of the remaining opposition in the state back to the PDP.

    The Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Kombowei Benson described the governor as God-fearing saying taken Bayelsa from darkness to light.

  • Dickson vows to hand over healthy public sector to successor

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson on Friday vowed to hand over a highly professionalized, disciplined and motivated public service sector to his successor.

    Speaking in Yenagoa, the state capital, Dickson told residents that the ongoing reform was not witch-hunt but designed to rid the service of all forms of irregularities and sharp practices.

    He said: ‘‘The mindset that you can keep your name on the payroll without coming to work is negative and we have to draw the red line now because we want to leave behind a reformed, repositioned, motivated and efficient workforce that can stand the test of time”, he said.

    He Commended the various labour leaders in the state for identifying with the process of sanitizing the public service at the state, local government levels and all the educational institutions.

    The governor assured that the exercise would promote efficiency and increase productivity.

    He lamented that over 1,090 workers with teaching qualification were redundant at the local government councils despite the the urgent need for teachers in the state.

    He said such workers had been penciled down for redeployment in schools after going through some trainings.

    He directed the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission to formulate a template that would ensure the employment of fresh graduates into the vacancies that would be created arising from the reforms.

    Dickson also directed the committee handling the verification of the state workers to release the salaries of identified genuine workers who were affected by the suspension order.

    Dickson asked the people of the state to brace up to the ongoing public sector reforms insisting that his administration.

    He lamented the rots in the sector and likened the state’s payroll to the voter register where he said all kinds of names could be found.

    He said in 2012 he inherited over N5bn monthly wage bill in the service and N1.6bn in the local government area but worked very hard through various verification committees to bring it down to N3.7bn for state and N1.1bn for the council.

    He said all his efforts were geared towards handing over a disciplines, efficient public service to the incoming government adding that the motive was not to sack anybody.

    While saying that genuine workers affected by the exercise would be re-absorbed and redeployed to other areas, he insisted that persons who had no reason to be in the service must go.

    “We want to leave behind a reformed, repositioned, motivated and efficient workforce.

    Whatever is good for this state, we are going to get it done.

    He said: “Those who would be affected are citizens, we have to look at genuine issues. We are working in avenues to ameliorate the hardships and create other avenues for survival.

    “Many states are sacking workers. The central focus is not to sack. It is repositioning.

    In this reforms, those with teaching qualification, working in the parastatals, who can teach, the state needs all of them.

    “We have ways of absorbing people on the condition that they must be existing workers, they must be committed workers. If you are workers in Abuja, Lagos Port Harcourt, this state has fed you enough for the past 20 year. Enough is enough”.

     

  • Bayelsa varsity compiles list of 1,700 workers for redeployment, dismissal

    Throws weight behind Dickson’s public sector reforms

    The Governing Council and Management of the Bayelsa State-owned Niger Delta University (NDU) has thrown its weight behind the state government’s ongoing public service reforms.

    Describing the move as good for the state, Chairman of the Council, Prof. Steve Azaiki said the reforms had already thrown up a list of 1,700 workers of the university for redeployment, retirement and outright dismissal.

    Speaking in Yenagoa after a meeting between the state Governor Seriake Dickson and the Governing Board of the school, Azaiki, expressed the council’s readiness to implement the government’s policy of sanitizing the public service.

    He  noted that a practice where the university solely depended on the state government to fund its over-bloated workforce was unsustainable.

    He commended Dickson for his bold steps and absolved the governor of any blames in the current shake-up that affected 1,700 workers in the university.

    He said: “It was the leadership of the university that listed the affected staff following the outcome of a discreet verification to make for more efficiency, better service delivery as well as create space for the employment of young qualified people, particularly Bayelsans.

    “The amount of money that government has been giving to NDU is not sustainable. Suppose oil price falls or there are issues of governance or politics, anything can happen and then the university will collapse. So, we need to look inwards and see how we can come up with a sustainable figure.

    “We are going to look at the list again especially in the case of NDU. We provided to the government, 1700 non-academic staff that we think should be redeployed or should be disengaged by the institution to make sure that the policy of government is effective.

    “However, one of the key things the governor said in the meeting, is that, there could be need for us to reabsorb most of these people. So, Council will meet and review the list, and we will come up with a solution on how best we can help our own people.

    “After all, some of them are due for retirement, some are incompetent while others are facing disciplinary actions. So, we will make separate recommendations for all the cases because I believe that the Governor is ready to accommodate Bayelsans in our system. So there is no need for people to take laws into their hands.”

    While, urging labour unions to show understanding and play by the rules of engagement, Azaiki warned students and lecturers against social vices such as cultism and sexual harassment.

    He insisted that the university would not only expel or sack anyone found culpable, but also work closely with law enforcement agencies to ensure the prosecution of such persons.

    Also speaking, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of NDU, Prof Samuel Edoumiekumo described rumours making the rounds that, the university increased its school fees, as malicious, blatant lies and the height of blackmail.

    According to the Vice Chancellor, returning students in management and social sciences, education are paying N35, 000, while their counterparts in the medical sciences pay N45, 000 as against the N230, 000 and N250.000 insinuated in some quarters.

    While calling on parents and guardians, as well as the general public to ignore the rumours, he urged all concerned stakeholders to visit the institution’s website to avail themselves of the official fee structure of the university.

    Edoumiekumo restated the university’s resolve to implement the rules and regulations as enshrined in the students’ handbook.

    He said that any student who failed to pay their schools within the stipulated period of payment would be sanctioned accordingly.

    On his part,  the Special Adviser to the Governor on Students Affairs, Mr. Austin Adigio said the governor created a new platform to foster a stronger students-government relationship to enable him interact more closely with students on a monthly or bi-monthly basis.

    He reaffirmed the present administration’s commitment to building the state for posterity through education and stressed the need for students to remain law abiding.

    He said the government would deal decisively with anyone caught fomenting trouble to scuttle the academic calendar of any institution in the state.

     

  • Looters’ list: Dickson slams APC’s leadership style

    Says party chasing shadows
    urge Bayelsa to accept public sector reform
           

     

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson on Wednesday said the Federal Government led by the All Progressives Congress (APC) was engaged in shadow-boxing while abandoning the real essence of governance.

    The governor described as childish the party’s constant attacks on the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) including APC’s lamentation that it inherited an empty treasury from the PDP.

    “You don’t need to say that you inherited an empty treasury. Are treasuries full to be handed over. Treasuries are supposed to be used to work”, he said.

    The governor, who spoke at a live broadcast in Yenagoa to address knotty issues arising from the ongoing public sector reforms in the state said at the end of its first term, APC would be judged by its achievements and not by the failures of the PDP.

    Admitting that the PDP made its mistakes, he said the party in power should concentrate on righting the alleged wrongs of the PDP instead of engaging in blame games.

    He asked the party to learn from him noting that when he took over from the past administration, he wasted no time blaming his predecessor and pursuing past officials despite what he saw in the files.

    He said: “Sometimes you have a feeling that the APC even though in power is still in opposition and still on a campaign mode. I would have thought that after all the things that they said PDP didn’t do well and you claim Nigerians have voted for you, so you do the things rightly.

    “Here in this state, there was a governor, who was there for almost six years, and I know what I saw in all the files, all projects and programmes. Have I wasted any time looking behind to pursue people?

    “We used a red line across it and we did things differently.  The point is that at the end of the day, you will every incumbent including the APC, they will be judged not by the failure of the preceding government, but by what they themselves had done.

    “I think as the days and months are drawing closer, they will come to that realisation. And the sooner they realize that they will be judged by what they do or fail to do and not what the PDP didn’t do, the better.

    “PDP is gone and the APC has won and supposedly they won because of those things that they are still talking about for three years. So, I consider it very childish. I thought that they should have done better than they are doing. Quite frankly, the PDP made its mistakes but the PDP also achieved a lot for our democracy  and for our country”.

    Dickson lamented that the country was divided sharply under the APC-led government and asked the ruling party to ensure Nigeria’s unification.

    The governor decried the wanton killings of citizens on daily basis by not just Boko Haram but also by the armed herdsmen.

    He said instead of facing the issues and tackling the violence headlong, the APC was dissipating its energy on looters’ list.

    “There is too much division in the country now. So, the APC led government has to unify the country. There has to be a country first before you can claim you are in power or in government. They have not been able to unify the country.

    “Look at the wanton killing and destructions of precious Nigerian lives not only by Boko Haram but now by herdsmen and we are told that they are foreigners, which means we under a foreign invasion.

    “Yet you are not addressing those concerns and issues. You are talking of PDP. One list today and tomorrow another list. Yet we all know ourselves in this country. I believe hat our politics should be mature. We are not enemies.

    “That we are in different political parties does not make us enemies. Even if we are not friends because w have a number of friends in all parties, at least we are Nigerians. We are human beings. So, in the first place, we share a common humanity. So, we should treat one another with respect if not with love”.

    Dickson further asked the people of the state to brace up to the ongoing public sector reforms insisting that his administration would ensure effective and productive public sector.

    He lamented the rots in the sector and likened the state’s payroll to the voter register where he said all kinds of names could be found.

    He said in 2012 he inherited over N5bn monthly wage bill in the service and N1.6bn in the local government area but worked very hard through various verification committees to bring it down to N3.7bn for state and N1.1bn for the council.

    He said all his efforts were geared towards handing over a disciplines, efficient public service to the incoming government adding that the motive was not to sack anybody.

    While saying that genuine workers affected by the exercise would be re-absorbed and redeployed to other areas, he insisted that persons who had no reason to be in the service must go.

    “We want to leave behind a reformed, repositioned, motivated and efficient workforce.
    Whatever is good for this state, we are going to get it done.

    He said: “Those who would be affected are citizens, we have to look at genuine issues. We are working in avenues to ameliorate the hardships and create other avenues for survival.

    “Many states are sacking workers. The central focus is not to sack. It is repositioning.

    In this reforms, those with teaching qualification, working in the parastatals, who can teach, the state needs all of them.

    “We have ways of absorbing people on the condition that they must be existing workers, they must be committed workers. If you are a workers in Abuja, Lagos Port Harcourt, this state has fed you enough for the past 20 year. Enough is enough”.

  • Dickson accuses FG of withholding 13% derivation

    Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, on Wednesday accused the Federal Government of not fully releasing the 13 per cent derivation to the oil-producing states as provided by the constitution.

    The governor insisted that oil producing states in the country were not getting the complete 13 percent derived from oil production.

    Dickson said despite the express provisions of the constitution for the disbursement of 13 per cent to oil producing states, persons entrusted with the responsibility had not ensured effective implementation of the derivation act.

    Dickson, who said successive governments had violated the 13 percent derivation act, called for the issue to be addressed without delay.

    According to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Relations, Mr. FIdelis Soriwei, the governor stated these when he visited the Head Office TV Continental (TVC) in Lagos.

    He said the queer kind of federalism in operation in the country was the reason behind the growing call for restructuring of the polity.