GOV DICKSON URGE PDP FAITHFULS TO SHUN RUMOURS AND BE SUPPORTIVE

GOV
DICKSON URGE PDP FAITHFULS TO SHUN RUMOURS AND BE SUPPORTIVE

Bayelsa State Governor Hon. Seriake
Dickson has called on members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the state
to shun all forms of rumuor mongering, maintain the existing cordial working
relationship among its rank and file in the state.

He has also charged party faithfuls
to always seek ways of uplifting the image of the party by supporting the
policies and programmes of his administration in the state.


Governor Dickson stated this
during his monthly visit and interactive session with members of the State
Working Committee and other party members at the party’s secretariat, in
Yenagoa.

Governor Dickson, who
thanked members of the party for their support and understanding, especially
during the short period he was away, urged them to work collectively as a
family to ensure the success of the party at all times.


The state Chief Executive stated
that the activities of party members were beginning to attract greater respect to
the party both within and outside the country, noting that this rising
reputation has been made manifest largely due to the positive attributes of its
members.

He urged them to keep faith
with his administration, promising that a lot will come their way very soon.

On the floods ravaging the
state, he described the situation as critical, adding that the state government
was in collaboration with the federal government and other relevant agencies to
alleviate the sufferings of the people.

In his remarks, the State Chairman
of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP Rtd. Col Sam Inokoba, thanked the
governor for the visit despite his busy schedule.

He also commended members
for their solidarity, understanding and continued support for the Seriake
Dickson led administration.

Drawing inspiration from the
scriptures, Rtd Colonel Inokoba described the flood as a cleansing process,
noting that the Lord in his infinite mercies will not forsake Bayelsa state in
times of distress.
  


Daniel Iworiso-Markson
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Bayelsa State

GOVERNOR DICKSON PLEDGES CONTINUED SUPPORT TO TRADITIONAL INSTITUTIONS

GOVERNOR DICKSON PLEDGES CONTINUED SUPPORT TO TRADITIONAL INSTITUTIONS

Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has pledged that his administration will continue to accord respect and support to the traditional institution in the scheme of things.Governor Dickson made the pledge while speaking at the coronation of the new Pere of Tarakiri Kingdom, King Richardford Orukaribai Koroye at Ebedebiri Community in Sagbama Local Government Area.

Describing the institution as a veritable instrument of development and social mobilisation of people in the society, the Governor noted that traditional rulers serve as bridge builders between the past and present.Hon. Dickson lauded the chiefs and people of Tarakiri for the peaceful election and coronation, noting that with the emergence of a new Monarch the clan has succeeded in putting behind them “a past that appears to be not too pleasant”.

Governor Dickson who described the Pere as a man of honor and team builder, urged him to use his wealth of experience to promote unity and progress in the Kingdom.While pledging support to the Pere, the State Chief Executive, challenged the clan to initiate a fund raising for the building of a befitting hall for future coronation as well as serve as a rallying point and other important activities of the clan.

Earlier in his remarks, the former Regent and Chairman of Tarakiri council of Chiefs Chief Senator John Brambaifa stated that the election of the paramount ruler has opened a new vista of opportunities for more cooperation and unity among the people.He thanked the people for their support, understanding and cooperation throughout the period he acted as regent which, according to him, culminated in the smooth conduct of elections and coronation of the new Pere.

Also speaking, Chairman of the State Council of Traditional Rulers HRM King Godwin Igodo expressed delight at the peaceful conduct of the Tarakiri people. While congratulating the new Pere on his coronation, King Igodo said the council was ready to officially receive and present him with his staff office.In his speech the Pere of Tarakiri Kingdom, King Richardford Koroye promised to run an all-inclusive administration with a view to fostering more unity and progress.

The royal father expressed appreciation to Governor Dickson, Chiefs and all who contributed to the success of the event.King Koroye who served as a Commissioner under the Late Chief Melford Okilo’s administration in Old Rivers State, obtained a B.Sc degree in Civil Engineering from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1966.He was elected as the seventh Pere of Tarakiri on 15thSeptember 2012 at Agbere Community.Former Acting Chairman of the Tarakiri Council of Traditional Rulers Chief John Brambaifa assisted by High Chief Shagamu Eberiye performed the crowning and beading of the new monarch.  
Daniel Iworiso-Markson                          
 Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa State

BAYELSANS TOLD TO ESCHEW POLITICS OF BITTERNESS, HATRED

BAYELSANS TOLD TO ESCHEW POLITICS OF BITTERNESS, HATRED

 Governor Seriake Dickson has called on Bayelsans to show love and be patriotic towards the state. The Governor made the call while responding to questions at the Monthly Transparency Initiative Press Briefing held at Banquet Hall, Government House, Yenagoa. According to him, for the state to move forward, people need to shun rumuor mongering and eschew politics of bitterness and hatred. 

While also calling on them not to be impatient, Hon Dickson said Government is fully on track to restore the state back to its lost glory and enjoined the people to render support to his administration. Commenting on questions bordering on the redesigning of school buildings to guard against flood, as well as give a breakdown on capital projects and Government’s blueprint for the water sub-sector, the Governor said “The transparency briefing is not about giving details as we expect all ministries to give a detailed account of their activities.

 The foundations of this Government are hinged on openness so I expect all to abide by the rules”, he remarked. He noted that Government’s commitment to the people is performance and announced that his administration will not support memos from Government officials for recurrent expenditures, but that his expectation is for them to generate capital projects. Hon Dickson said that Government’s programme for the water sub-sector is to carry out research studies to enable Government take the best steps to provide portable water for the people, adding that next year the required technology will be put in place across the state. 

The state chief Executive tasked the media on the need to continue to verify facts before going to the press noting that he takes it as a point of duty to read local and national dailies regularly. He said Government’s commitment to revamp the educational sub-sector necessitated the re-establishment of the Bayelsa State Collage of Arts and Science (BYCAS) at Elebele town to enable youths, who do not have the requisite qualification to proceed to University, remedy their papers. Hon Dickson, therefore, called on youths to take advantage of the school to chart a new course for themselves instead of roaming the streets of Yenagoa. He used the occasion to announce the setting up of a committee to fish out relevant graduates working in the Public Service and State Environmental Sanitation Authority to be trained at the Teacher’s Training Institute, Sagbama for redeployment to the teaching profession. Earlier, Governor Dickson commiserated with victims of communities affected by flood who lost valuable items. 

 The Governor disclosed that a high powered Government delegation to be headed by the State Deputy Governor including all the Local Government Council Chairmen, his special representatives in the Local Government Areas and selected commissioners will be set up by Government to provide relief to affected communities. He assured the people that as a Government, it will ensure adequate food supplies in the state as well as other necessities while it will also take steps to curb any outbreak of health hazard due to effects of water borne diseases. 

The Governor pointed out that people from the communities that have been submerged by the flood have been given shelter at the Samson Siasia sports complex, Yenagoa which is to serve as the main refugee camp, while Kaiama, the headquarters of Kolokuma/Opokuma will take care of victims of Odi and Sampou communities.
Daniel Iworiso-Markson
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa state

BAYELSA STATE GOVT TO DISTRIBUTE FREE SCHOOL UNIFORMS NEXT WEEK

BAYELSA STATE GOVT TO DISTRIBUTE FREE SCHOOL UNIFORMS NEXT WEEK 

Bayelsa State Government says it will commence the distribution of 150,000 pairs of free school uniforms and other educational materials including textbooks to all public primary and secondary schools in the state next week. Governor Seriake Dickson stated this while speaking a ceremony marking the 2012 World Teachers Day Celebrations at the Banquet Hall of Government House in Yenagoa.

 Describing Teachers as critical to the actualization of his administration’s educational policies, Governor Dickson pledged to continually support teachers to perform their duties effectively. The Governor posited that for society to be better, deserved attention should be given to its teachers. Responding to the teachers’ requests, Hon Dickson directed the state commissioner for works to approve contract for the construction of a link road to the Teachers House in Yenagoa which serves as the secretariat of the state council of the Nigeria Union of Teachers. 

The Governor also asked the NUT executive to liaise with the Transport commissioner for the release of an operational vehicle he had earlier promised the union. On remuneration, the state Chief Executive urged teachers to acknowledge the fact that they rank among the best remunerated teachers in the country. He however, directed the Commissioner for education, Head of service and the state chairman of NUT to meet on the issue of promotion as well as yearly incremental arrears and make recommendations for his consideration. 

Governor Dickson, who congratulated the teachers on their successful completion of a two-week training workshop, assured them of Government’s preparedness to implement its policy on human capacity building. According to him, government has opened discussions with a Canadian group for the training and retraining of teachers both within and outside the country. 

While assuring teachers of Government’s continued support, Governor Dickson warned them not to demand any kind of payments from their pupils and students, stressing that decisive action would be taken against erring school authorities. He explained that the earlier planned retraining programme for teachers at the Teachers Training Institute at Sagbama suffered a setbacks as the whole premises of the institute is currently submerged by flood. 

In his remarks, the Principal State Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Barrister Okoroafor Okechukwu commended the State Government for its education friendly policies such as the declaration of free education at the basic and post - primary levels Barrister Okechukwu complained about shortage of teachers in basic and senior secondary schools, and appealed to government to reinstate teachers who were recruited in 2011/2012 but were disengaged by the State Universal Basic Education Board. 

Also speaking the National President of NUT, Comrade Michael Olukoya called on Government to increase the retirement age of teachers in primary and secondary schools to 65years The NUT National President who was represented by Mrs. Gloria Igbegiri  also urged teachers in the state to work hand in hand with the Dickson-led administration to move the state forward.

 Daniel Iworiso-Markson
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa state

GOVERNOR DICKSON INAUGURATES EMERGENCY RESPONSE FLOOD MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

GOVERNOR DICKSON INAUGURATES EMERGENCY RESPONSE FLOOD MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson has inaugurated the State Emergency Response Flood Management Committee for the immediate evacuation of flood victims and provision of relief materials to all the Local Government Areas.Governor Dickson, who inaugurated the committee in Government House Yenagoa, has the Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (Rtd) as Chairman while Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Edmund Allison Oguru is to serve as Secretary of the committee.

Membership of the Committee comprising more than 20 government officials has Commissioners, Special Advisers, all Government Special Representatives of Local Government Areas as well as a representative of the State Commissioner of Police, Special Adviser on Security, House Committee Chairman on Environment in the State Assembly as well as Chief of Staff  and Deputy Chief of Staff Government House.In addition to the Emergency Response Flood Management Committee, Local Government Chairmen are expected to serve as Chairmen of their respective Local Flood Relief Sub-Committees as well as Commandants of their various camps.

Governor Dickson, who listed 5 point terms of reference for the committee, said it should establish Emergency Relief Camps in strategic high land locations in every Local Government Area of the state.The Committee is also saddled with the responsibility of evacuating victims of all the flood ravaged communities to the relief camps.Governor Dickson charged the Committee to interface with all relevant agencies of government and other international relief agencies to provide succor for all victims in the camps and work out a post-flood relief and possible mitigation measures to forestall adverse effects on the state’s economy.

The Emergency Response Management Committee is also mandated to undertake any other function in the course of its assignment which may become necessary considering the peculiar nature of the flood.Hon. Dickson said Government has designated the Samson Siasia Sports Complex, Yenagoa as camp for people displaced by the flood and also urged the Committee to identify high grounds in the Local Government Areas and set up camps.

The Governor explained that the choice of the Deputy Governor as Chairman of the Committee was necessitated by the crucial nature of the task before the committee.According to the emergency situation created by the Flood, Governor Dickson said government has already taken steps to notify the leadership of the State House of Assembly to reconvene and reminded it to conclude work on the bill seeking to establish the State Emergency Management Agency as well as approach the Assembly for an emergency appropriation to tackle the problem of flooding.

Responding, Chairman of the Committee, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (Rtd) stated that they would swing into action immediately and gave an assurance that the Committee would do its best to deliver on its mandate.

  The Deputy Governor who said the Committee would establish one major camp in Yenagoa, and two others at the Bishop Dimeari Grammar School and Igbogene in the State Capital, intimated members of the committee that the services they render would be voluntary.
Daniel Iworiso-Markson                          
 Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa State 

NDU INDUCT FIRST SET OF MEDICAL DOCTORS

              NDU INDUCT FIRST SET OF MEDICAL DOCTORS
        
The Bayelsa State owned Niger Delta University has inducted its first set of Medical Doctors since its inception in the year Two Thousand.Performing the induction ceremony at the University’s main auditorium, the Acting Registrar, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Dr. Udugbai  Ilevbara urged the inductees to always uphold  the ethics of the profession .

He reminded them that as Medical Doctors, their role is to respect and protect human lives and not to take lives, noting that any acts contrary to the laid down ethics and rules of the profession were not only punishable by law, but against humanity.

Dr. Ilevbara enjoined the graduating medical Doctors to approach the profession with utmost vigour, commitment and sense of duty.In his remarks, the state commissioner for Health, Dr. Anapurere Awoli urged them to see their position as pioneer graduates of the School of Medical Sciences of the University as a challenge as their performance will go a long way in determining society’s rating of future graduates of the institution.

He further called on them to practice the knowledge acquired from the training with same zeal and courage they approached their studies.In his goodwill message to the graduates, the state commissioner for Education, Chief salo Adikumo congratulated the young Doctors for successfully completing their professional training as Medical Doctors and urged the university to improve on the existing training programmes with a view to raising the profile of the institution.

He commended the authorities of the Niger Delta University for creating the needed conditions for the accreditation of the Medical school to be able to graduate its first set of Doctors.Earlier, in his remarks the Acting Vice- Chancellor of the Niger Delta University, Professor Humphrey Ogoni had described the day as remarkable and expressed gratitude to all those who worked assiduously to ensure the induction of the University’s first set of Medical Doctors.He expressed confidence in the ability of the new doctors to effectively deliver healthcare in the state and beyond.

A total of Twenty-Two Medical School graduates were inducted at the ceremony. 

Daniel Iworiso-Markson
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa state

BAYELSA GOVT DECLARES N17B AS INCOME FOR AUGUST 2012

BAYELSA GOVT DECLARES N17B AS INCOME FOR AUGUST 2012 

The Bayelsa State Government has declared N17, 974,746,254.60K as income for the month of August 2012, from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee, FAAC. Governor Seriake Dickson explained that the figure was high as a result of special refund received from the Federal Government.

 On the directive of the State Governor, Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Duate Iyabi gave a breakdown of the income at the monthly Transparency Initiative Press Briefing in Yenagoa, the State Capital. According to the Commissioner, deductions at source stood at N3.2 billion out of which Bond deduction amounted to N1.2 billion while  Deduction of Foreign Loans came up to N12.4 million.Mr. Iyabi further noted that, a refund of Over-payment Derivation Indices of N187.8 million was made, while N219.2 million was also deducted as 13% Derivation Indices Recovery, while a payment of January/ February 2012 Recovery stood at N854 Million.

A deduction of N83 million for Agriculture loan scheme was also made, leaving a balance of N14.6 billion.On Expenditure, the Commissioner for Finance explained that N923 million was made as Bank Loan repayment while N200 million was for Internal Revenue deductions.

According to him, Civil Servant Salaries came up to N3 billion and that of Political Appointees amounted to N280 million, N250 million was for gratuity payments and N936 million was for Monthly Overhead Payments, further leaving a balance of N7.4 Billion.On the special refunds, Mr. Iyabi explained that the total amount received was N7.3 Billion.
 A breakdown of the figure according to Mr. Iyabi, indicated that refunds on the bond issued was N1.9 Billion while special refunds from the Federal Government on recoveries amounted to N5 billion. Mr. Iyabi also explained that N27 billion was utilized for capital payments adding that on the whole, the State had a retained balance ofN26.4 billion. 

Daniel Iworiso-Markson
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa state