Gov Dickson Wants New Exco Members To Join In The Protection Of Ijaw Interests… Charges Power Commissioner To Generate Policies To Place Bayelsa As Number One In Electricity
Governor Seriake Dickson has tasked the newly sworn in commissioners to work as a formidable team to protect the overall interest of the state as the only homogenous home of the Ijaws.
Governor Dickson gave the charge at the swearing in ceremony of 8 members of his cabinet at the Executive Council Chambers of Government House, Yenagoa.
According to him, never again will the state be on offer to the highest bidder and will not be surrendered to those who do not mean well for the state.
The restoration and revolution of the state he noted, was on course, stressing that his administration would continue to work to mobilize support for President Goodluck Jonathan and the development of the state.
His words: “You are all going to work as a team, because your functions overlap. I urge you to stand firm; this state will not be surrendered to riff raffs anymore. What we have done will be permanent. The restoration and revolution that we have started in this state, we will take it to the end and never again will this state be on offer either to the highest bidder.
“This state, that is the only homogenous state of the Ijaw people will not be surrendered to vultures and buccaneers. This state will continue to be in the hands of those who understand why this state was created and why our people fought and died over the years to have this state to stand up as a beacon of hope for the Ijaw man and I assure you, we will continue to work and mobilize support in this state behind me and therefore, behind the President this state will continue to grow from strength to strength.
Addressing the commissioner for the new Ministry of Power, Chief Partner Jim-Ogbolo, Governor Dickson challenged him as an expert in the field to work towards ensuring that the state becomes number one in terms of electricity supply.
The governor said his predecessors having made huge investments in the sector, asked Chief Jim-Ogbolo to ensure that projects under his ministry were completed as well as convert the potentials in the Power Sector to wealth and job creation in the state.
“This state wants to be number one in terms of provision of power. I want you as an expert, working with your colleagues to drive the power agenda. My predecessors in good faith, all invested heavily in power generation. There are several gas turbines that are not utilized and so, it is your duty to break that jinx. This is the state of
gas. This state has more gas resources than any other state, so it is your duty to convert these potentials to create wealth and job opportunities for the state.
“Under my leadership, we have also invested in a number of initiatives. One of such initiatives is the Four Power, which is owned by four states in the Niger Delta. We have set up the Bayelsa State Electricity Company Ltd and several other initiatives in order to safeguard what I call, 'our energy security and our future' in an industrialized and competitive world.”
He called on the new commissioner to streamline the policies and
programmes in his ministry and generate new ideas to place Bayelsa State as the number one in power generation and move the sector forward.
Daniel Iworiso-Markson
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa State