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| TODAY MARKS EXACTLY SEVEN MONTHS OF YOUR ADMINISTRATION AND THE FUTURE BECKONS ON US WITH HOPE. WE NOW KNOW THE DIRECTION WE ARE HEADED. GOD BLESS BAYELSA STATE. |
INAUGURAL SPEECH BY HIS EXCELLENCY, HENRY SERIAKE DICKSON,
GOVERNOR OF
BAYELSA STATE ON THIS
14TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2012
My Dear Good People of Bayelsa State and the Ijaw Nation
Today marks the climax of the journey we started several
months ago when I announced my intention to run for the office of Governor of
our dear state on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In the
course of our campaigns we promised change and restoration of our lost glory.
Today that change has come. Today our Restoration journey begins.
Let me thank you all for your prayers and support and the
confidence reposed in me by your overwhelming mandate. I also must thank you
for the sacrifices made and the risks taken to ensure our victory at the polls.
I wish to particularly thank my boss and elder brother, the
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck
Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, for his fatherly support and unflinching commitment to a
better, prosperous and secure Bayelsa State and Nigeria. I also want to place
on record our deep appreciation to the First Lady, Her Excellency, Dame
Patience Goodluck Jonathan, for her motherly support all the way. Similarly, we
salute the Vice President, Arch Namadi Sambo, who as Chairman of the National
Campaign Committee, provided uncommon leadership which contributed immensely to
our victory at the polls.
Let me also thank the President of the Senate, Senator David
Mark and my worthy brother and friend, the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and the entire members of the
National Assembly for their solidarity and their abiding support.
Our immense gratitude also goes to all the leaders of my
party particularly, the Acting National Chairman, members of the National
Working Committee and all the members of the National Campaign Committee for
Bayelsa Governorship campaign. Of course, this victory couldn’t have been
possible without the phenomenal work of the various party organs and structure
in Bayelsa state. Let me specially thank the Right Honourable Speaker and
Members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Chairman of our party, Deacon
James Dugo and members of his Executive Committee. I salute the efforts of the
Elders committee ably led by our former Governor, Chief D.S.P Alamieyeseigha
and our Campaign caucus under the capable leadership of my dear brother, Chief
Ndutimi Alaibe.
Permit me to also extend my sincere appreciation to all our
teeming supporters, KEME2KEME volunteers, party faithful and most especially,
members of “The Restoration 2012 Campaign Team” led by the Director General,
Chief Fred Agbedi for their dogged determination in driving this campaign
to its final destination; resulting in our party’s resounding victory at the
polls. We are truly grateful and eternally indebted to you for your invaluable
contributions to the success of our campaign.
We thank you the good people of Bayelsa State for your
peaceful conduct before, during and after the polls. By your conduct at the
polls, we have proved our detractors wrong. We have shown to the whole world
that we will not succumb to violence and that we are not a violent people.
I am humbled by the overwhelming support and mandate freely
given to us by Bayelsans. Accredited observers, both local and international
have adjudged the election to be free, fair and credible and probably the best
in the history of our dear state. Let me thank INEC and the security agencies
for conducting a free, fair and violent-free election.
As a product of the Ijaw movement, I am aware that I was not
just a candidate of Bayelsa State but of the entire Ijaw nation. Let me
therefore thank all the Ijaw people at home and in the diaspora for their
prayers and unflinching support. To all ijaws wherever they may reside, let me
reaffirm that Bayelsa will be continue to be your Jerusalem and I will be your
Governor too.
We thank all friends and well-wishers of Bayelsa State for
their keen interest and partnership. We specially thank all those who
contributed materially and otherwise to the success of our campaigns and
subsequent victory at the polls.
We sincerely thank all the Clergy men for their prayers and
unyielding support. I personally want to thank them for their steadfastness in prayers
for me and my family all through the course of this campaign.
We must at this point thank the Chiefs and Elders in all the
communities we visited to solicit for votes. The campaigns offered us further
insight into your problems and potentials. We assure you that you will hear
from us soon in very specific terms.
To all my brothers who took part in this electoral contest
with me on the platform of other political parties, yesterday we were opponents
but today offers an opportunity for partnership in the service of our people
for a greater tomorrow.
To you my good people of Bayelsa State, who have voted for
change and restoration, let me say a few words about the cardinal focus of the
Restoration Agenda.
We shall undertake fundamental reform of the governance
culture to emphasize transparency, accountability, due process and value
re-orientation by all institutions and functionaries of government, beginning
with my humble self. For emphasis, there shall be zero tolerance for corruption
under my administration. The days of enrichment without labour and funding the
greed and avarice of a few at the expense of the development of our people is
over. I will work hard to plug all leakages and sources of corruption which
have been the bane of our development. I will rather use our common wealth to
fund the construction of good roads, education, promote tourism, generate
wealth and develop agriculture than fund corruption and greed. Be prepared
therefore for a fundamental paradigm shift in the governance culture, values
and lifestyle of public officials. I am aware that we will face resistance, we
may be misunderstood but we shall always do what is right in the interest of
you the people.
To do nothing now about the corrupt, decadent and
self-serving status quo, poses a clear and present danger to the very existence
of our state and will be the greatest disservice to our aspirations as Ijaw
people. If Bayelsa fails, the Ijaw nation also fails and so will the Niger Delta
with grave consequences for national stability. This, we cannot allow to
happen. We will therefore take the necessary decisions and actions, however
difficult, however painful, however controversial those decisions and actions
may be. Even when you have a different perspective, which is your right to
hold, be rest assured that our actions will always be in your interest and you
will be consulted regularly. As part of our commitment to transparency, we
shall announce and publish all revenues accruing to the state beginning from
now.
In the course of our campaign, we promised massive
investment in education, critical infrastructure, agriculture, health, as well
as peace and security. The development of human capital is our most compelling
and urgent need. That is why we promised you free and compulsory education for
all our children in primary and secondary schools with emphasis on computer
literacy, science and technology. I hereby announce with effect from today the
take-off of free and compulsory education at primary and secondary school
levels across Bayelsa State. The rebuilding of our educational infrastructure
commences forthwith. Our curriculum will emphasise the study of Ijaw language,
history and culture.
We will invest in the development of other aspects of human
capacity for our teeming youths, such that they will be able to unleash their
creative capacities as well as enhance their drive for entrepreneurship.
We shall construct roads and other infrastructure to link
our people and fast track comprehensive development. The completion of the
three senatorial roles will be given high priority. But all these will not be
possible without an atmosphere of peace and security. We must therefore
strengthen our consensus as a community to have zero tolerance for criminality
and insecurity. As a government, we will make all the necessary investment to
create and sustain a secure society governed by the rule of law.
Our concept of security includes a commitment to protect our
communities from all forms of environmental terrorism. We are willing to
partner with all corporate entities operating in our state but we will insist
on the highest standards of responsible corporate citizenship.
Similarly, we will not condone the irresponsible acts of our own people who
through criminal acts damage the ecology and environment.
We shall review and emplace an institutional framework for
promoting investments with the active collaboration of the private sector. So
to the rest of the country and the world, we declare that the new Bayelsa State
is ready to welcome genuine investors and investments in an atmosphere so
convivial, that beyond rhetoric, Bayelsa will be your home away from home. We
are determined to make Bayelsa a foremost tourism and invest haven.
Fellow Bayelsans, it is true that no great enterprise or
society has ever been built without a grand vision. But vision alone, like an
architectural drawing, no matter how beautiful has never built anything without
the labour of many skilled, semi-skilled and even unskilled hands. We have cast
a beautiful vision of restoration for our beloved Bayelsa, the Glory of all
lands. Now we must labour to make it happen and it is to this labour we now
summon every man, woman and child – Hear the clarion call – To thy work oh
Bayelsans– Let the Glory of all lands be restored again!
Judge me by this – I will not play politics with your
development. I will not play politics with crime, criminality and violence. I
will not play politics with the protection of the Ijaw National interest within
the context of a united, democratic and peaceful Nigeria.
A new dawn has broken;
The New Bayelsa beckons;
With your support and prayers and by the grace of God,
Bayelsa State and the Ijaw nation will NEVER be the same again.
GOD bless Bayelsa State!
GOD bless the Ijaw Nation!!
GOD bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!!!
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| THE DAY GOVERNOR HENRY SERIAKE DICKSON RALLIED IJAW LEADERS IN YENAGOA |
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| GOVERNOR HENRY SERIAKE DICKSON LOVES EDUCATION. HERE, THE GOVERNOR AND PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN LAUNCHED THE JONATHAN'S SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME IN YENAGOA |
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