Gov. Dickson Tasks Political Class On Service
Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has urged the political class in the country to make service their watchword with a view to making a positive impact in the lives of those they govern.
He also charged the citizenry to contribute meaningfully to the nation's growth and development by living up to their civic responsibilities, stressing that responsible citizenship carries with it certain obligations.
The Governor was speaking at a dinner/command performance marking his administration's second anniversary at the banquet hall, Government House in Yenagoa.
The ceremony also featured presentation of productivity merit award to over thirty public sector workers and organizations with the Rwandan High Commissioner to Nigeria, Amb Joseph Habineza in attendance.
Other notable personalities at the occasion include the immediate past Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Mike Ogiadhome, former Governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, wife of the Bayelsa State Governor Rachel, his deputy Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (Rtd), foremost poet, Dr Gabriel Okara, former and serving National Assembly members from the state as well as traditional rulers.
According to Hon Dickson, Nigeria will develop faster if leaders and citizens alike appreciate its diversity as an asset and make collective efforts at fighting against the challenges confronting the country.
While, underscoring the importance of national unity, the Governor took a swipe on politicians and political parties that are fanning the embers of strife and disintegration.
He noted that despite the premeditated attacks on the Peoples Democratic Party-led federal government by forces who do not mean well for the country, the party remains resolute in its determination to move the nation forward and promote national integration and stability.
Alluding to the current spate of defections in the nation's polity, the Bayelsa State Governor said, “The other party inherited some toxic assets but our party, Africa's largest and the only truly national party in Nigeria stands for national integration and stability of our dear country.
“The people that have come to join us are true assets. People like Their Excellencies Ibrahim shekarau, Atahiru Bafarawa, my good friend Dele Belgore and other well-meaning Nigerians who have come to join us in the PDP. We believe that our platform is not built on the faultlines of our country. Whether those faultlines are ethnicity, religion or class, our platform is for all Nigerians. And I want to thank all other worthy leaders who have taken the right step.
Continuing, he maintained that, “responsible citizenship carries with it an obligation to contribute to the general wellbeing. I also believe that those of us who have an opportunity to serve truly have the opportunity to serve not just man but God Himself from whom authority over human beings flows. We must not fail to remember that we are in service to make a difference.”
On his performance, the Governor noted that the present administration has made appreciable progress in critical sectors of education, infrastructure and security in the last two years even as he identified human capacity development as the greatest challenge of the state.
He however stated that, appropriate measures were being put in place to address the problem as no society, according to him, can have a sustainable future that is not anchored on human capital.
Governor Dickson said it was in realization of this fact that his administration swiftly embarked on the building of educational institutions including the schools of agriculture and tourism as well as initiated various scholarship schemes for Bayelsans to study within and outside the country.
His words, “Our investments are not just limited to the roads that you see or the schools that we are building all over. In every Local Government Area, you can count about 25 projects ranging from schools to hospitals not to talk of the major infrastructural turnaround that is evident in the state capital. As we speak, we have over 150 PhD scholars spread across the length and breadth of the world; over 400 are also on scholarship for masters' degree programmes. In fact, next week the team going to Lincoln University will leave for the United States of America because we have paid all their fees up to date.
He thanked Bayelsans and all friends of the State for their support and assured them of his administration's commitment to consolidating on the achievements recorded so far, expressing hope that the foundations laid in the past two years would achieve more aggressive sustainable development for the state.
Highpoint of the occasion was the cutting of the anniversary cake and presentations by various artistes and cultural troupes including the state council for arts and culture, and UMOZA from Johannesburg, South Africa.
Daniel Iworiso-Markson
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa State