Quick Response Nig

- Unveils 21-Reason Policy Document to support Choice Tuesday, May 28, 2019, at its lavishly-furnished Campaign Headquarters in Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa State, the leadership and management of the Romeo Bekeyei Campaign Organization (ROBCO), finally opened up on the identity of its candidate in the build-up to the November 2019 Bayelsa Gubernatorial Race. The well-attended event drew personalities, political stakeholders and associates from every nook and cranny of the oil-rich state. In a press statement signed by the Interim Spokesperson of the organization, Mr. Godspower Ebitemi, the organization said an intensive consultation process across every strata of the state and the Ijaw Nation in the last five going to six weeks is what prompted it to finally open up on the choice of its candidate for the guber race. The statement added that it was in the light of the above development that the organization decided to unveil its 21-Reason Policy Document to properly lay bare

The Chairman, PDP Governors’ Forum, Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State heartily congratulates his colleague members in the forum as well as the good people of their various States on the successful inauguration ceremonies held on Wednesday, May 29,2019. In a press statement from the Abuja Secretariat of the forum, the Chairman said “We are confident that the States in particular and our dear country in general will benefit immensely from your wealth of experience as you assume office”. Governor Dickson stated “We count on your good office to enhance a strong working relationship between your State and the PDP Governors’ Forum”. He prayed that God Almighty may continue to guide, protect and bless them and their families; grant them reigns of wisdom, good health and the focus to excel in the selfless service to their States, their great party – PDP and our dear country, Nigeria.

Bayelsa State Governor, and Chairman Peoples Democratic Governors Forum, the Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson, on Tuesday, said the attack on the Judiciary by some political actors was a threat to the nation’s foundation and the development of democratic governance in the country. The Governor said that the onslaught on judiciary was aimed at weakening and destroying its independence which should be condemned. A statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, on Wednesday, quoted Governor Dickson as having made the comment during the swearing-in of two new High Court Judges at Government House, Yenagoa. Those sworn-in are, Justice Iniekinimi Uzakah, a former Registrar of the High Court, and Justice Abasi Youngman, former Acting Director, Civil Litigation Department, Ministry of Justice. The Governor called on Nigerians to give the necessary support and encouragement to the Judiciary as an independent arm of government. He said t

*Devastation like dropped bomb - Archbishop Sentamu No fewer than 60 communities and groups have presented evidence of oil-related devastation to the Bayelsa State Oil and Environmental Commission (BSOEC) chaired by the Archbishop of York, Dr. John Sentamu. The 10-man panel inaugurated by Governor Henry Seriake Dickson in March this year rounded off the second round of its fact-finding investigative assignment at the weekend during which it held roundtable sessions with non-governmental organisations and health experts. It also visited six ravaged communities in Southern Ijaw, Brass and Yenagoa local government areas of the state. The commission held a well-attended public evidence session on Friday during which communities gave oral evidence of devastation and neglect by oil companies operating in their areas before submitting documented reports to the panel. The traditional ruler of Agudama community, MC Kipasa, told the commission that they had recorded several oil

.....blames IOCs for neglect The Chairman of Bayelsa State Environmental Degradation Commission and Arch-Bishop of York, Dr. John Tucker Sentamu on Sunday raised the alarm over  environmental terrorism and genocide facing the state. The prominent Clergyman said that it would be an understatement for anybody to describe the magnitude of violence done to the environment due to spillages and pollution by the oil firms as degradation. A statement by the Special Adviser, Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, quoted Dr. Sentamu as having made the comment while speaking to journalists shortly after a Special Sunday Service at the Government House , Yenagoa. He lamented that the environment had been destroyed because of unchecked pollution, which culminated in the destruction of the people’s livelihood. He said that he embarked on a trip for about six hours along the waterways without seeing any bird flying because of the violence done to the environment. He lamented that th

Former President of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan has saluted the efforts of the Bayelsa State Governor, the Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson in educational development saying he has surpassed expectations. Dr. Jonathan who gave the commendation at the launch of the Bayelsa Education Development Trust Fund in Yenagoa, noted that the governor’s decision to deploy the tool of education to the development and emancipation of the society was the right way to go. A statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei quoted the former president as saying that the initiative and the landmark achievements of the governor would outlive his eight years as it having been backed by law. Dr. Jonathan who said the efforts of the present administration was in line with his educational policy to wrest the Bayelsa child from the claws of illiteracy when he was governor in 2006, noted that Education Development Trust would drastically change the story of Bayel

By Cyril Onoka One of the most visible contenders in the November 2019 Bayelsa Gubernatorial race, Hon. Romeo Bekeyei, on Thursday, congratulated Governor Seriake Dickson over his election as the Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum (PDPGF). In a press statement signed by him, Bekeyei, wrote, “I congratulate our dear Governor Seriake Dickson on his appointment and elevation as Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum (PDPGF). It is a well deserved development not only for him, but for the entire people of the Ijaw Nation, Niger Delta region, as well as our great party, PDP.”                        "In recalling his past services to the party especially in peace resolution and reconciliatory capacities, he by this appointment, has once more been compelled to embark on yet another mission to serve the Nigerian masses and enhance good governance". Continuing Bekeyei said: “I personally ascribe this landmark stride to His Excellency’

The Governor of Bayelsa State and Chairman òf the Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum, the Honorable Henry Seriake Dickson, has congratulated former Federal Lawmaker, Dr. Bello Mohammed Mutawalle, on his  return as the Governor-elect for Zamfara and the victory of other PDP candidates in the State by the Supreme Court. The Governor also congratulated the leaders of the party and its teeming supporters  in Zamfara  for their dedication, commitment and resilience which culminated in the party’s victory at the polls in Zamfara. Governor Dickson who is also Chairman òf the South South Governors Forum thanked the Judiciary for standing up to the expectations of all well meaning Nigerians as an impartial arbiter òf Justice. He said that it was rather reassuring and commendable for the judiciary to display such a high level of courage and professionalism, especially  given the unusual times. He said that the ruling by the five-member panel of the Supreme Court read by Justic

- Says South Africa did well.                                                                In the aftermath of the successful General Elections recently held in South African, a leading gubernatorial aspirant in the forthcoming Bayelsa 2019 Guber Election, Hon. Romeo Bekeyei, has applauded  former President Goodluck Jonathan in the role he played in ensuring the government and people of South Africa recorded such levels of transparency and successes in the election generally described across the global sphere as free, fair and transparent.                                                                                      Bekeyei while responding to questions from journalists after the day's sitting of the Presidential Elections Tribunal in Abuja yesterday said, "As a country, we have been blessed with distinguished leaders who have consistently been at the forefront of global affairs. His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is one of such pragmatic leaders that Nige

Afenifere Press Release The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum received with rude shoch the in-your-face impunity of the Buhari-led Government announcement of plan to set up an AM Radio Station for Fulani herdsmen to broadcast in Fulfude. Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, who confirmed the acquisition of the licence in Abuja, on Tuesday said the radio service will operate on frequency of 720KHz, and will be strictly on Fulani language. He disclosed that plans are underway to secure funds for procurement and installation of requisite transmission equipment for the successful take-off of the radio station. He added that the station is part of the peace-building efforts of the government in addressing herders-farmers clashes (herders terror on farmers it is ) The Executive Secretary, National Commission for Nomadic Education (NCNE), Prof. Bashir Usman, explained that some veteran Hausa broadcasters have been contacted to develop programmes for the station . The anno

* Demand clean-up, Compensation Oil-ravaged communities in Bayelsa State have accused the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and another regulatory body, National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), of connivance with oil multinationals in the destruction of their environment. Four communities that suffered devastating oil spills - Babragbene, Lasukugbene and Oyeregbene in Southern Ijaw and Mbikiba in Brass local government areas - made the accusation on Wednesday during a town hall meeting with members of the Bayelsa State Oil and Environmental Commission (BSOEC) at Oyeregbene community. The commission led by the Archbishop of York in the United Kingdom, Dr. John Sentamu, is on a fact-finding tour of oil spill and environmentally degraded communities in the state. The communities, which demanded a clean-up of their land and waterways as well as payment of compensation by the oil multinationals operating in their area, said federal agencies - DPR and N

The Governor of Bayelsa State, Co-Chairman of the South-South Governors Forum and  Chairman of the South South PDP Governors Forum, the Honorable Henry Seriake Dickson, has called on the 36 Governors of  the Federation to adhere to the principle of rotation in the election of a new leader for the Nigerian Governors Forum. The Governor said in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media Relations,  Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, that the decision on who should be the next Chairman òf the Forum should be guided by the time tested principle of rotation between the North and South. The Governor said that the next Chairman  òf the NGF should come from the South with the end of the tenure of Governor Abdulazeez Yari òf Zamfara State. The Governor added that the Governors elected under the platform of the PDP would not contest the position in consonance with the precedence that the NGF Chairman should be a ranking Governor from the ruling political party. He stressed that the PDP Governors wo

The Bayelsa State Higher Education Students Loan Board hereby announces that all Students of Bayelsa State Origin in Tertiary Institutions across Nigeria can now apply for the Higher Education Student Loan floated by His Excellency, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, Governor of Bayelsa State, to promote the educational advancement of the state in line with the restoration agenda. MODE OF APPLICATION: 1) All interested applicants should download the application form and two (2) Guarantor's forms from the board's website www.byshelb.ng 2) All Completed forms accompanied by the two Guarantor's forms should either be submitted online or forwarded in person to the office of the Executive Secretary on or before 8th June, 2019. 3) Multiple Applications will be rejected. 4) Applicants and Guarantors must read and accept the terms and conditions of the loan to qualify. 5) Note that application form is free but all applicants are requested to pay a non-refundable processing

Chairman of the Bayelsa State Oil and Environmental  Commission (BSOEC), Most Reverend John Sentamu, on Tuesday, assured victims of environmental degradation in the state that the commission will not rest until they get justice. The Dr. Sentamu-led panel was inaugurated in March this year by Governor Henry Seriake Dickson as an independent body to look into the environmental and human impact of oil spills in the state. Speaking in Yenagoa during the commission's roundtable with civil society organisations, Sentamu, who is the Archbishop of York in the United Kingdom, said  CSOs play a vital role in ensuring communities were represented and in addressing society’s injustices through a neutral platform. His words: "Many of you have been involved in issues of social, political and economic justice in the Niger Delta for a number of years. "Today, we would like to hear from you about the work you have been doing in Bayelsa in relation to oil spills and what you wou

The National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has been described by the Coalition of Yoruba Youth Congress, as the modern day 'Afonja' over his latest attack on Nigeria's former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. The group said it is now clear to the Yoruba people, particularly the youth, that Bola Tinubu has finally dumped his title of the "Asiwaju of Lagos" and have completely adopted the Jagaban of Borgu instead, judging by his recent stance on the state of the nation, particularly the many attacks on Yoruba people and settlements, across the southwest part of the country. The group while reacting to a statement credited to presidential spokesman, Garba Sheu, where he quoted the former Lagos State governor of attacking former President Obasanjo at a gathering with President Muhammadu Buhari in far away Saudi Arabia, said it will no longer sit back and watch Bola Tinubu, insult Yoruba elders just for the sake of pursui

 A governorship aspirant from Bayelsa State, Hon. Romeo Bekeyei has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to include the state in the new targeted $76.25bn Nigerian Investment Plan. The Federal Government target plan from some of its newly-licensed free trade zones, is expected to generate job opportunities for thousands of Nigerians. The aspirant noted that statistics from Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) revealed that about one million, three hundred (1,300,00) jobs would be created through these avenues. The newly-licensed free trade zones, which cut across Lagos, Delta and other states, Hon Bekeyei said it would be better if also replicated in Bayelsa to generate Jobs for youths in the state. He said that through this means, youths restiveness and other form of vices would be addressed as the youths, who, were idle would be gainfully employed.                                          .                                                                 Recently,

In furtherance of its mandate and assignment, the Bayelsa State Oil and Environmental Commission (BSOEC) would commence another round of public engagements from Tuesday, May 21 with a meeting with civil society organisations (CSOs) in Yenagoa, the state capital. The CSO Roundtable is an interface meant to deepen the work of the commission led by the Archbishop of York, Most Reverend John Sentamu. Dr. Sentamu and other members of the commission are in the country in continuation of the assignment to investigate the environmental and human damage caused by the operations of oil companies in the state. The members will undertake on-site visits to some communities in Southern Ijaw and Brass local government areas as well as hold sessions with legal and health experts and groups before having another public evidence session with impacted communities and individuals on Friday, May 24. Communities and individuals negatively affected by oil spills are expected to present evidence

Holding the bull by the horns, even as toxic intrigues by international oil majors play out and the federal government dithers, Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State empanels an international commission on oil spills to assess environmental damages and determine responsibility, among other issues. Stanley Nkwazema* reports According to Sheikh Zaki Yamani, the stubborn Arab strategist, and one-time Saudi Arabian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources from 1962-1986, “The Stone Age did not end for lack of stones, and the Oil Age will end long before the world runs out of oil.” The compelling logic of this position expressed three decades ago, remains true. Going forward, clearly something fundamental has shifted in strategic calculations in the world’s hydrocarbon sector. Clearly, advances in technology are beginning to offer a way for economies, especially those of the developed world, to diversify their supplies of energy and reduce their demand for petroleum, thus loo

Bayelsa State Governor, Honourable Seriake Dickson, on Thursday, called on the Ijaw Nation, particularly the youths, to focus on intellectual approach in the struggle for justice, egalitarian society and resource control. Represented by his deputy, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (Retd), Governor Dickson made the call at this year’s Isaac Boro Day Anniversary/Wreath Laying Ceremony in Yenagoa. Governor Dickson’s Special Adviser on Public Affairs, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted him as saying that the Boro Day anniversary was not only a day of celebration but also a time for sober reflection and commitment to worthy causes that would impact mankind. He urged the youths to imbibe the virtues of discipline, respect, perseverance  and hard work, noting that success is not achieved overnight. The governor noted that his administration had provided the enabling environment for self-development through the establishment of tertiary institutions and provision of  scholarships.

..... LAUD GOVERNOR DICKSON, PARTNERS Organisers of the Governor Seriake Dickson Football Tournament has called on lovers of soccer to brace up for another edition of Bayelsa's biggest football competition, "The Restoration Cup 2019". In a statement, signed by the Director General, Ono Akpe in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital, urged willing teams and clubs to get ready and begin their preparations ahead of the tournament. According to him, the amount for registeration still stand at five thousand naira only(#5000), as he called on all teams willing to participate in the competition, to follow strictly, the rules guiding the competition, especially in the area of fielding ineligible player(s). "We are glad to inform Bayelsans that we want to commence the third edition of the Restoration Cup, and as usual, the competition is open to all communities, Churches, tertiary institutions, and even security agencies and para-military outfits are welcome to partici