Bayelsa elders back Dickson amid impeachment rumour

* Say governor has fulfilled campaign promises

Amid rumours of a planned impeachment of Governor Seriake Dickson, elders from Bayelsa State have appealed to the government to remain focused and continue with his passion to develop it.

The elders under the auspices of the Forum of Restoration Caucus Chairmen (FRCC) commended the governor for his “giant strides” in key sectors of the economy saying the governor had kept his campaign promises.

The elders, who rose from a meeting in Yenagoa after a periodic review of government activities, said Dickson had fulfilled his promises in education, security, health, agriculture and road infrastructure.

Other key areas they examined and gave the governor a clean bill of health were salary payment, Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR) and the development of small and medium enterprises.

The elders, after a periodic review of government activities, said Dickson had fulfilled his promises in education, security, health, agriculture and road infrastructure.

Other key areas they examined and gave the governor a clean bill of health were salary payment, Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR) and the development of small and medium enterprises.

In a communiqué signed by the forum’s Chairman and Leader of Ekeremor Caucus, Chief Thompson Okorotie and Yenagoa Caucus Chairman, Chief Godwin Odumgba, the elders insisted that they were pleased with the strides in education.

They said the recent opening of the Ijaw National Academy (INA), the model boarding secondary schools in the eight local councils with free feeding and books for students and the 25 mega primary schools constituted a watershed in the educational development of Bayelsa.

“The forum notes with satisfaction that there has been massive local and overseas scholarships for our children. Only a few days ago, in a national publication, Bayelsa State occupied the third position in the nationwide results of NECO.

“Earlier, the State had occupied the sixth position in WAEC results. This is a healthy development for a state that was at the bottom of the ladder before the assumption of office by the present administration.

“These developments justify Governor Seriake Dickson’s declaration of a state of emergency in education in Bayelsa state when he was first sworn in as governor on 14th February, 2012”, they said.

The elders further noted that Dickson’s strategic and major developments in the health sector had become a source of pride to all Bayelsans.

They said the state could now boast of a world-class diagnostic center with the state of the art equipment and five referral general hospitals.

On road infrastructures, they said: “The first inter-local government road that was done is the one to Amassoma where Niger Delta University (NDU) is situated.

“The Dickson administration gave Bayelsa State its first flyover in Yenagoa in addition to completing the Toru-Ebeni bridge connecting Southern Ijaw Local government Area with Sagbama and Ekeremor Local Government Areas.

“In addition, the three Senatorial roads that have been on the drawing board since the first Republic was courageously tackled by the Restoration Government”, the elders said.

They added: “As it is already well known, the State Government has begun the payment of full salaries to the delight of civil servants and the government is not owing salaries from January.

“However, the forum notes the efforts of government to assist the LGAs pay their outstanding salaries with particular reference to primary school teachers.

“The Forum observed with deep satisfaction of the security architecture that is in place in Bayelsa State.

“The activities of the Operation Doo Akpor equipped with highly sophisticated security gadgets, coupled with the recent provision of numerous operational vehicles is making Bayelsaone of the most peaceful States in the country”.