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On Wednesday, 30th October 2024, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson attended the International Conference on Environment showcasing the report of the Bayelsa Oil and Environmental Commission that he instituted as governor.

Giving his speech, he said: They had rendered an interim report to me in 2020 before I left, and I know that by 2021/2022 they submitted their final report which was presented in London in the House of Lords.

I was delighted that they came to make a presentation of the final copy to the State, which has formally adopted it at the State Executive Council. I thanked my Lord, the Chairman and all the Commissioners, and all those who supported the work of the Commission and I am happy that the governor and the State government are continuing with this important assignment.

While the conclusion of the report is a milestone, a lot of work still has to be done. It requires careful team-selection as I did in sourcing renowned, qualified people across the world; and then it requires courage to push through the various aspects; we all need to give support to the state government as they lead in this with our support.

I congratulate Bayelsa, and I call on all the Governors of oil-producing States, and the people of the Niger Delta generally, to rally round and use this report as a basis for our quest for a safer environment. All of us must rise up for Bayelsa and the Niger Delta and fight against environmental terrorism, which the Commission has clearly found to be a genocide.