GOV DICKSON CHARGES INFRASRUCTURE COMMITTEE ON CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF CRITICAL PUBLIC FACILITIES

 Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson has urged all ministries, departments and agencies handling construction-related projects for which contractors are yet to be mobilized to complete the documentation of such contracts before the end of this month.Governor Dickson issued this directive while inaugurating the Chairman and members of the State Infrastructure Advisory Committee at the Executive Chambers of Government House, Yenagoa.
The Governor, who lamented the setbacks his administration’s ambitious programmes have suffered as a result of the ravaging flood, said the directive has become imperative as Government is fully set to immediately continue with both ongoing and new projects.While calling for understanding from the contractors, Governor Dickson assured that Government will do everything possible to mobilize them to site as soon as the floods recede.
In his charge, Governor Dickson urged the 16-member committee to advise Government on how to construct and maintain its critical public facilities in the State.The Governor also charged the committee to conduct a baseline study of the entire state and furnish Government with statistics on the highest water levels.Knowing the topography of the State, Governor Dickson said he had since conceptualized the idea of setting up the committee even before assuming office, pointing out that the magnitude of the current flood disaster reinforces its significance.

Expressing confidence in the committee, Hon Dickson also enjoined them to look into issues of concessioning, adding that government alone cannot single-handedly build all the state-of-the-art infrastructures it intends to build for the State.“From time to time we will like to have reports and advice in terms of the priority of our public infrastructure and also in terms of issues that have to do with concessioning because the state does not have the resources on our own to do all the construction that we really need”.Responding, Chairman of the infrastructural advisory committee, Engineer Charles Dorgu thanked the Governor for giving them the opportunity to serve the state especially at a time when it is experiencing the worst flood disaster.He assured that the committee will live up to expectation by providing the necessary professional expertise needed for the infrastructural development of the state.
The committee has Engineer Charles Dorgu as chairman, while the commissioner for works and infrastructure, Mr. Lawrence Ewrudjakpor is to serve as its secretary.Professor Telimoye Oguara is the vice chairman of the committee, with the commissioners for environment, lands and survey, water resources as well as special duties as ex-officio members.Other members are HRH Iboro Ige Idaba, Engr. Paul Aboyo, Engr. Charles Ambaiowei and Engr. Ebi Wodu.The committee also has Engr. Igonibo Igodo, Dr. (Mrs). Ongoebi Etebu, Chief Mathew Karimu and Surveyor. Wilson Omubo as well as the Surveyor-General of the state, Ebisintei Awudu. 
Daniel Iworiso-Markson
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa State