Dickson swears in 60 new special advisers, two commissioners

Thirty-one days to the Bayelsa gubernatorial election and less than four months to the end of his second term tenure as governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson has sworn in 60 new special advisers and two new commissioners in his cabinet.

Their mandate, according to the governor, is to deliver the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) standardbearer, Senator Douye Diri and his running mate, Senator Lawrence Ewhrujakpo, in their various wards and constituencies in the November 16, 2019 governorship election.

Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, in a statement yesterday, said that the appointees were put through some form of character scrutiny and were found worthy of being entrusted with the responsibility of special adviser having rendered selfless service and contributions to their various communities, the state and the party.

He said the latest appointees were joining the government at a critical stage when their efforts were needed to strengthen the support base of the party by highlighting the achievements of the restoration government with a view of delivering the PDP’s ticket in the election.

The governor said that the Diri/Ehrujakpo ticket would consolidate on the investments in education, healthcare, infrastructure, security, agriculture and other key sectors in the interest of Bayelsa and the Ijaw nation.Dickson, who reiterated that no party in the state had the political presence and structures to wrest power from the PDP, stressed that the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) had nothing to offer Bayelsans.He alleged that the APC was banking on using federal might, electoral fraud and violence during the polls to subvert the people’s will.

Meanwhile, the governor, while swearing in the two new commissioners, Dr. Pabara Newton-Igwele and Dr. Godson Torukuru, who he described as gentlemen of proven integrity, said that they were appointed to serve in the highest policy-making body of the state due to their many years of service and dedication to the people and state.

Dickson, who assigned Igwele to the Ministry of Health, charged him to expedite action on the completion and equipping of the health centres across the 105 wards in the state. He expressed confidence in the ability of the new commissioner to succeed in his new task due to his passion for service, and reassured Bayelsans of his commitment towards providing affordable healthcare and reducing maternal and infant mortality rate in the state.