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Tag: Seriake Dickson

  • Dickson backs call for state police

    Dickson backs call for state police

    The Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, on Friday threw his weight behind the decision of the Federal Government to pursue establishment of state police.

    The governor argued that the prevailing security situation and the need for an effective response to the current crime challenge had made it imperative for states to set up their police unit.

    Dickson spoke follow the declaration by the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, that the Federal Government was considering state police since it could no longer provide security to the entire country from Abuja.

    In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, the governor said that removing the police from the exclusive list and putting its operations under a more effective arrangement at the level of the state would put a stop to the widespread killings and crimes in the country.

    He explained that state police would be effective as the personnel would be drawn from the various states and would easily access valuable information required to track crime and criminals.

    Read Also:  Dickson Obaseki meet for peace, unity in Niger Delta

    The governor added that the current federally controlled police had become overstretched due to wide ratio of the police to the rapid increase in population.

    He said; “It has become very clear that the decision of the Federal Government to establish state police should be supported. I am of the view that the decision can only tame the growing scourge of crime and criminality in our communities.

    “The advantages of having the police at the state level are many. These people will come from the state and I am of the view that their capacity to access the requisite intelligence to fight crime will be stronger.

    “So the time to establish state police, as recommended in the report of the 2014 Constitutional Conference and the recent report of the All Progressives Congress, is now.”

    Dickson also reiterated his call for the establishment of a multiparty committee on restructuring.

    He said that the committee should be entrusted with the responsibility of working out the final details for the executive arm to sponsor the requisite bills to the National Assembly to ensure a sincere implementation of the recommendations of the El Rufai Committee’s report.

    The Bayelsa Governor said that the country was in need of a multi party committee to examine, discuss, agree and come up with draft legislation bill to be jointly sponsored at the National Assembly.

    He called on the government to commence steps to mobilize national consensus to engage the National Assembly to pursue implementation of the El Rufai Committee’s reports before the 2019 general elections.

  • First plane to land in Bayelsa airport June – Dickson

    First plane to land in Bayelsa airport June – Dickson

    Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, on Friday assured that the first airplane would land at the state’s international airport in June.

    Dickson said funds had been set aside already for the completion of the airport with a 3.5 kilometre runway.

    He also said government was expecting the Chinese $6bn investment in the Brass fertilizer project to boost the economy of the state.

    The governor, in a press statement signed by his Spokesman, Mr. Francis Otta Agbo, gave the assurance while speaking at the Monthly Praise Night in Yenagoa.

    Dickson said the airport project which was the brainchild of his administration was scheduled for completion by the second quarter of this year as the 2019 completion is too late.

    He expressed government’s commitment to prudent management of its finances and focus on the task of delivering the airport project.

    He said: “There is still work to be done. There are still more roads to be built and we have to take the Sagbama Road to Ekeremor.”

    According to Governor Dickson, former President Olusegun Obasanjo will be in the state in the next two weeks to commission some of the state’s first class medical investments and the Bayelsa Health Service Programme for workers.

    “Chief Olusegun Obasanjo will be visiting in the next two weeks to unveil our medical investments to the world,” he added.

  • Restructuring: Jonathan, Dickson demand sincere implementation of APC recommendations

    Restructuring: Jonathan, Dickson demand sincere implementation of APC recommendations

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan and Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, on Thursday challenged the All Progressives Congress (APC) to sincerely implement its committee’s recommendations on restructuring.

    Dickson led a high-powered delegation of Ijaw leaders to Jonathan to deliberate on the recommendations in Otuoke, Ogbia local government area of the state.

    Jonathan, Dickson and the top Ijaw leaders urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of the APC to enforce its recommendations.

    They insisted that a holistic and sincere implementation of the recommendations of the report on restructuring would encourage inter- ethnic harmony and development in the country.

    A statement issued by the Special Adviser to Governor Dickson on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, quoted Jonathan as saying that the issues were exhaustively treated during the 2014 National Conference.

    He said the sincere enforcement of the conference outcome would definitely move the nation forward.

    The ex- President said it was a good idea that the APC was able to set up a committee to look into the same grey areas which featured prominently in the deliberations of the 2014 conference.

    Jonathan commended Dickson for playing the leadership role of coordinating the thoughts of the Ijaw people on the sensitive issue of restructuring.

    He said the governor must be appreciated for ensuring that the Ijaw Nation did not speak with discordant tones on the issue of restructuring.

    He stressed that he was pleased that Dickson was performing the leadership role by coordinating the Ijaw Nation on the topical issue.

    He said: “I am pleased with the caliber of people who came with the Governor to brief me on the recommendations of the APC committee on restructuring.

    “I must say that I am happy with the role being played by the Governor on this issue of restructuring. Ethnic nationalities must not speak with discordant tones on such pertinent issues. I am pleased that Dickson is coordinating the Ijaw Nation.

    “I am also pleased that the APC set up a committee to look into the grey areas to come up with these recommendations. When we were in government, we came up with a confab and several issues were addressed which if sincerely implemented would encourage relationship in the country. A sincere implementation of the recommendations on these grey areas will make the country to move forward.”

    In his remarks, Dickson said he led the delegation of the Ijaw leaders to the former President to a consultation and brief him on the steps the Ijaws had taken to build bridges of understanding in the pursuits of equity in the country.

  • Bayelsa trains over 5,633 youths in various vocational skills

    Bayelsa trains over 5,633 youths in various vocational skills

    The Bayelsa Government says it has trained no fewer than 5,633 youths in various skills since the inception of Gov. Seriake Dickson administration in 2012.

    Mr Collins Cocordia, Bayelsa Commissioner for Youth Development, said this on Friday at the on-going Inter-Ministerial and Agencies’ briefing in Yenagoa.

    The briefing was part of activities to mark Dickson’s six years in office come Feb. 14.

    The briefing tagged, “Restoration Government at Six: Our Score Card in Focus”, started on Jan. 22 and would end on Feb. 9.

    Cocordia explained that about 40 members of the National Youth Service Corps ( NYSC ) were also trained in different professional skills in the state.

    He said the training was carried out in collaboration with other agencies both at the national and international level.

    On the cost of training, the Commissioner said that the government had invested huge resources to ensure that people of the state were empowered.

    “The state government spends between N1.5 and N2 million to train a youth in professional skills.

    “Since we came on board, about 1, 000 persons were trained in partnership with the Industrial Training Fund ( ITF ), Small and Medium Enterprises’ Development Agency of Nigeria ( SMEDAN ), and Bank of Industry ( BoI ) for three months.

    “More than 150 were trained at the International Institute of Tourism and Hospitality on different skills, including GSM telephone repair for four months.

    “Also about 627 youths were also trained in a programme tagged “Catch Them Young through Skills Acquisition” in science and technology.

    “We have had series of training progrmmes to empower and develop the youth; similarly we have sent some to different parts of the world for training.

    “In this 2018, we hope to train many youths on solar energy in partnership with a German based company on other skills such as diving, flight dispatch, and fire fighting among others,” the ommissioner said.

    NAN

  • Dickson lied against me – Minister 

    Dickson lied against me – Minister 

    The Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, yesterday, said the Governor of Bayelsa, his home state, Mr. Seriake Dickson, lied against him over sponsorship of militancy and other criminal activities in the state.

    The minister denied sponsoring a warlord, Oyawerikumor Peregbabofa, aka, Karaowei, who was arrested and killed by security agencies for beheading a senior intelligence security officer and murdering over five soldiers.
    Speaking recently in a Transparency Briefing, Dickson accused the minister of buying arms and ammunition for the slain Karaowei and sponsoring other criminal activities in the state.
    He said the minister had done nothing positive with his position and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call him to order.
    He said: “The Minister of State, Senator Lokpobiri is the one that armed and equipped the Kareowei that has now killed soldiers and killed military people and subjected innocent communities into this problems.

    “All the guns, AK47, all the boats and others he uses to kill and all other ammunition were supplied by Senator Lokpobri. I have evidence that on the 2nd of January, this month, this Kareowei and his killers were in Ekeremor, celebrating with Lokpobiri, and that is the person appointed as Minster of state”.

    But Lokpobiri in a detailed response said he never had any relationship with the late militant leader explaining that he was no longer at his hometown in Ekeremor on the day Dickson accused him of meeting with the warlord.

    He said: “I was with my kith and Kin at Ekeremor from 31 December 2017 to 2 January 2018 to celebrate the New Year. A football match, wrestling contest and lots of fun fare, characterized the celebration. I was however bade goodbye by enthusiastic family members, friends and well wishers and left home in the morning of 2 January, 2018.

    “The claim of Governor Seriake Dickson is not only false but wicked and most ungodly. The same militant even came to threaten me on the eve of the New Year and fired some rounds at the river before zooming off. 

    “Interestingly, I shared my thoughts on the incident with one of our most respected security officers on my way to Abuja for a meeting with the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the Presidential Villa on 3 January 2018.

    “The accusation of the purchase of arms and equipment for the militant is also a figment of the imagination of Governor Dickson. I do not have anything to do with the militant and had never met him.

    On my contribution to nation building as Honourable Minister of State, Agriculture and Rural Development, my constituency is the entire country and there is no denying the fact that my colleague and I have worked so hard to reposition the sector to the admiration of all Nigerians. 

    “Agriculture has been reported by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBC) as the highest contributor to the GDP in 2017. The claim by Governor Dickson that he has not seen anything I have done in my village is therefore petty and preposterous. 

     Read Also: Dickson breaks 40-year jinx

    The theatrics of Governor Dickson is a dance of the absurd on the misfortunes of the people of Ndoro community in particular and Bayelsa State at large. 

    “Common sense in good governance dictates that the proper thing to do is to attend to the needs of the displaced persons and do the needful to help them return to their community and rebuild their lives. This is what all people of good will and I expect him to do as governor of BayelsaState.

    Let it be known that the shameful campaign of calumny against me is not an account of stewardship that should be the focus of a transparency briefing. 

    “Governor Dickson should used his briefs to explain to the good people of Bayelsa why there is starvation and misery when he has spent over a trillion Naira on non-existent projects leaving the Bayelsa people with no functional roads, hospitals, schools, water, a huge backlog of unpaid salaries and a tattered economy”.

    Lokpobiri commended security agencies especially the Joint Task Force (JTF) for their gallantry in stopping the notorious criminal and enjoined them to take out all such criminals in their theater of operation.

  • Dickson to security agents: Treat crime sponsors as common criminals

    Dickson to security agents: Treat crime sponsors as common criminals

    The Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, on Tuesday urged security agencies to treat political leaders sponsoring criminality as common criminals.

    Dickson insisted that such political leaders should be arrested and prosecuted like the criminals they sponsored to perpetuate crime against innocent citizens in the society.

    The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, said Dickson made the call while playing host to the Flag Officer Commanding, the Central Naval Command (CNC), Rear Admiral Abubakar Alhassan, in Yenagoa.

    Dickson said:  “It is our position in this state that crime is crime and security agencies should arrest and treat political leaders who are sponsoring criminals as common criminals because that is what they are.”

    The governor also called on the naval authorities to intensify efforts to improve maritime security in the waters of Bayelsa.

    Dickson enjoined the Navy to rise effectively to the challenge of sea piracy, kidnapping, oil theft, vandalism and related maritime crimes.

    He added: “I count on you to combat and bring down to the barest minimum, the cases of piracy in the waters, cases of kidnapping, the oil theft, the vandalism of Strategic national assets and so forth.”

    The governor commended the Federal Government for the establishment of the CNC and said the Navy had a major responsibility in the maintenance of maritime security and stability.

    Dickson said his administration had always emphasized the pertinence of law and order because of the need to preserve the foundation for peace, security, stability and development established by the government over the last six years.

     

     

  • Paris Club Refund: Dickson releases N5.6bn for workers’ salaries

    Paris Club Refund: Dickson releases N5.6bn for workers’ salaries

    The Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, on Friday ordered the release of N5.6billion out of N14.8billion Paris Club Refund he received in December last year for the payment of one- and- half month salary arrears owed workers during the economic recession of 2016.

    It was gathered that the governor called a meeting of top government officials, labour leaders and their representatives in Yenagoa where a decision was taken to pay one- and -half month workers’ salaries.

    A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, said the state government received N14.8billion from the Federal Government.

    The breakdown showed the state received N13.5billion while the local government councils received N1.37billion

    Dickson said the outstanding arrears were a balance of half salaries he paid for seven months during the recession in 2016.

    The governor thanked the workers for displaying understanding during the period of the recession.

    He lamented that while most of the older states in the country had lower wage bills, Bayelsa wage bill was over N6billion because of the “criminal activities of some fraudulent characters.”

     

     

     

  • Dickson accuses FG of politicising national security

    Dickson accuses FG of politicising national security

    Says Buhari not personally in charge
    Condemns Senseless nationwide killings

     

    The Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, on Thursday, accused the Federal Government of playing politics with the national security.

    Dickson further alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari was not personally in charge of the country’s critical security architecture.

    The governor said Buhari’s failures to be in charge of the nation’s security and engage critical stakeholders was the reason why APC leaders were playing politics with security.

    Dickson in a press statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Francis Ottah Agbo, said some APC chieftains had taken advantage of the dysfunctional and imperfect federal structure to hijack the security architecture.

    He lamented that they were using the security structures to torment innocent citizens for their selfish ends and by so doing , causing national insecurity.

    Dickson said the wind of insecurity blowing across the nation and particularly the upsurge in herdsmen/farmers clashes were fueled by politicisation of security by the Federal Government.

    He, therefore, called on Buhari to personally handle security matters and engage state governors with a view to knowing their specific challenges in the various states.

    Dickson also called on the President to call his party leaders especially, persons in Bayelsa State to order; to desist from sponsoring insecurity in the sate.

    He said some APC leaders in the state were using the name of the President to compromise security by intimidating security agencies, stockpiling arms and ammunition, killing and ransacking communities at will.

    The governor said he formally reported the matter to the President and relevant authorities but lamented that instead of bringing the perpetrators to book, the Federal Government, to his utmost chagrin, not only shielded the criminals from prosecution but provided them with security.

    The said: “These APC leaders exploit the fact that Mr. President is not personally involved in the handling of national security to breach national peace and security .

    “They know that he is not in charge of the critical issues of national security because he is not personally handling them the way he should.

    “So they take advantage of the President’s attitude and the dysfunctional Nigeria state to intimidate and blackmail security agencies for their selfish interest and in the process, endanger the safety of lives and property of Nigerians.

    “These APC leaders use the name of the President to sponsor criminals to unleash savage violence on innocent citizens. Their aim is to cause panic and force them to align with them.

    “A case in point is in Bayelsa State where some APC leaders hide under the protection of the Federal Government to stockpile arms and ammunition to maim and kill innocent citizens just to instill fear in them.

    ”I have personally reported this to Mr. President and to the best of my knowledge, there has not been any decisive action from him or the Federal Government.

    “Instead of prosecuting these criminals, the Federal Government has beefed up security around them. The politicisation of national security must stop for there can be no country without security!”

    The governor also condemned the recent killings across the country and warned that the country would cease to have a future if the Federal Government failed to urgently unite the peoples of Nigeria to avert the nationwide senseless killings.

    He stressing that the country was more than ever before too divided and unstable under the APC- led Federal Government.

  • FG politicising national security – Dickson

    FG politicising national security – Dickson

    The Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, on Thursday accused the Federal Government of playing politics with the national security.

    Dickson further alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari was not personally in charge of the country’s critical security architecture.

    The governor said Buhari’s failures to be in charge of the nation’s security and engage critical stakeholders was the reason why the All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders were playing politics with security.

    Dickson, in a press statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Francis Ottah Agbo, said some APC chieftains had taken advantage of the dysfunctional and imperfect federal structure to hijack the security architecture.

    He lamented that they were using the security structures to torment innocent citizens for their selfish ends and by so doing, causing national insecurity.

    Dickson said the wind of insecurity blowing across the nation and particularly the upsurge in herdsmen/farmers clashes were fueled by politicisation of security by the federal government.

    He, therefore, called on Buhari to personally handle security matters and engage state governors with a view to knowing their specific challenges in the various states.

    Dickson also urged the President to call his party leaders especially, persons in Bayelsa State to order and to desist from sponsoring insecurity in the state.

    He said some APC leaders in the state were using the name of the President to compromise security by intimidating security agencies, stockpiling arms and ammunition, killing and ransacking communities at will.

    The governor said he formally reported the matter to the President and relevant authorities but lamented that instead of bringing the perpetrators to book, the federal government, to his utmost chagrin, not only shielded the criminals from prosecution but provided them with security.

    He said: “These APC leaders exploit the fact that Mr. President is not personally involved in the handling of national security to breach national peace and security.

    “They know that he is not in charge of the critical issues of national security because he is not personally handling them the way he should.

    “So they take advantage of the President’s attitude and the dysfunctional Nigeria state to intimidate and blackmail security agencies for their selfish interest and in the process, endanger the safety of lives and property of Nigerians.

    “These APC leaders use the name of the President to sponsor criminals to unleash savage violence on innocent citizens. Their aim is to cause panic and force them to align with them.

    “A case in point is in Bayelsa State where some APC leaders hide under the protection of the federal government to stockpile arms and ammunition to maim and kill innocent citizens just to instill fear in them.

    ”I have personally reported this to Mr. President and to the best of my knowledge, there has not been any decisive action from him or the federal government.

    “Instead of prosecuting these criminals, the federal government has beefed up security around them. The politicisation of national security must stop for there can be no country without security.”

  • Dickson orders security agents to stop crime in Bayelsa

    Dickson orders security agents to stop crime in Bayelsa

    Security agents in Bayelsa on Saturday conducted a show of force in Yenagoa, the state capital, following the state Governor, Seriake Dickson’s directive to them to end resurgence of crime in the state.

    Dickson, who gave the order asked security agencies to redouble their efforts and safeguardi lives and property in the state.

    The governor, who addressed security operatives and officers at the Peace Park in Yenagoa, reiterated his administration’s zero tolerance for crime and violence.

    He urged the security agencies to increase their vigilance and flush out all criminal elements in the state.

    He attributed pockets of armed robbery and other security challenges witnessed in the state in recent times to activities of persons he called strange elements, who came from outside Bayelsa with a dark agenda to discredit the state’s achievements in the security sector.

    He assured officers and men of various security agencies of his administration’s continued support, adding that the government will do everything within its powers to ensure Bayelsa remained safe for people to live and carry out their socio-economic activities.

    He said: “I want to join your commanders and officers to give you the marching orders especially at this period and from now moving forward, you should smoke and flush out all criminal elements. Operate within your rules of engagement to deal with bad elements, who want to give our state and our country a bad name.

    “Our country is safe only when every part of the country is safe. Our state is safe when every local government area and every community is safe. We can’t say we are safe if our waterways are not safe. I therefore charge you all especially as we enter into the yuletide to redouble your efforts and increase your vigilance and professionalism.

    “This state is proud of the work you have all been doing, and we want to count on your continued dedication and professionalism even at this moment.”