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HSDF gives out grants to six hundred undergraduates of Bayelsa West Senatorial District

Yesterday, the Education Support Programme of my foundation, the Henry Seriake Dickson Foundation (HSDF) gave out grants to six hundred undergraduates of Bayelsa West Senatorial District made up of Sagbama and Ekeremor Local Government Areas.
I thanked the organising committee led by Professor Barclays Ayakoromor and his dedicated team who went through over 2000 applications submitted online to carefully select the beneficiaries. However, as expected, not all applicants made it, therefore I call for understanding from students who applied and could not make it.
Meanwhile, I was encouraged by the huge show of interest and participation on the programme. My appreciation also goes out to the chairman of the occasion, High Chief Seiyefa Koroye, a retired university Don and his wife Dr. Mrs. Grace Koroye, a retired educationist also.
I thank the Regent of Tarakiri clan, High Chief Fidelis Agbeki and all the paramount rulers of communities in Sagbama and Ekeremor Local Government Areas including political leaders and top government functionaries who joined me and my wife at the programme. I was impressed with the peptalk by Professor Christine Odi, Deputy Vice Chancellor Academics, Niger Delta University (NDU) and my cousin Mrs. Funkazi Koroye Crooks and the remarks by the chairman of the occasion as well as the royal father of the day, all of which is urged the beneficiaries to take their studies seriously.
I also emphasized my life long commitment to creating educational opportunities and I am glad to see the steady impact of the institutions created, policies initiated and implemented while I served as the Governor of Bayelsa State and the positive impact they are making.
Last year, the Henry Seriake Dickson Foundation gave financial support to all Bayelsa students of the 2022/ 2023 session of the Nigeria Law school. Meanwhile, this support programme is targeted at undergraduates, a grant of ₦30,000 to 600 undergraduates which amounts to ₦18,000,000 will help them go back to school. It is not intended as a scholarship, rather the Foundation observed that the flood that ravaged the state last year destroyed the incomes and livelihood of many, thus, found the need to support the students to return to school as families try to get back on their feet.
I also announced that there will be a robust educational support programme part of which will be:
1. The Henry Seriake Dickson scholarship programme which covers the cost of tuition.
2. A merit based grant for students on First class standing.
3. An undergraduate educational grant such as this, lastly, a grant for postgraduate students will be unveiled later this year.
I urge all those who are interested to apply for the programme as we join hands to build a secure future.
I joined every other speaker to charge the beneficiaries to pay attention to their studies and develop well-rounded characters to justify the investment their parents, guardians and the foundation has made, admonishing them to abstain from drug abuse, cultism and other social vices that will destroy their lives.
HSD

Visit of Middle belt and Northerners at the Senatorial District

Today, I received Middle belt and Northern people staying in my Senatorial district.
A number of them stated that I opened up the state and my area for them to live peacefully.
They are doing their business and are happy to be in the state and my Senatorial district.
They are safe in this area and I told them that I have a lot of northern friends whose places I call home, a number of them have visited me in my community and have stayed with me in my house, so they too should feel safe as they go about their lives.
They came to spend Christmas with me and also brought a souvenir of my portrait in solidarity with me. I thanked them and urged them to continue to live peacefully and be free to carry out their businesses and practice their faith without any molestation.
I urged them to also respect the beliefs and traditions of their host communities and live peacefully. I told them that if there are any issues there are appropriate structures to channel their concerns to and I wish them the best.

Oil Companies and Environmental Rights

I call on oil companies to redouble their efforts by observing international best practices.
This is as result of the oil exploration activities and the activities of misguided young people involved in illegal bunkering have resulted in the depletion of the ecosystem of the Niger Delta.
I made this known to newsmen after swimming at the River Forcados in my country home Toru-Orua. I explained the significance of the River to the Ijaw Nation and the people of Toru-Orua community.
I am urging the oil companies to respect the environmental rights of the Ijaw people. The ethos of the Ijaw people revolves around the Rivers which is a source of livelihood for the people.
I call on those involved in the illegal refining of crude oil to desist from the act as it affects the ecology of the Niger Delta.

Visit to Bulou-Orua Community

Yesterday, I was at my community in Bulou-Orua to condole with the entire Onitsha family and the community and to pay my final respect to Late Isaac Onitsha.
He was an astute businessman in Yenagoa and the owner of Ebis Hotel, one of the very first hotels established upon the creation of Bayelsa State over two decades ago.
He was one businessman who never held any political office in the state. He was a good man, a great supporter of mine and everyone else and was one of those I counted on to stabilize our community.
I pray God to comfort and guide his wife, his children, the entire Onitsha family and the community.
I also made a stop at Amassoma community to condole with one of our elders in the state, Chief Douglas Naingba who lost his wife, Mrs Adibalakumo Douglas-Naingba.
He continues to be a dependable elder, a stalwart in Amassoma and an Ijaw activist I offered my condolences and thereafter returned to Abuja. I pray God to grant her soul eternal repose and also grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss.

Nominees for the board and management of the NDDC.

Today, I joined other members of the joint committee of the National Assembly on Niger Delta to screen the President’s nominees for the board and management of the NDDC.
Though this is coming late, it is a good thing that the President finally sent in the list of nominees as required by the Act.
However, I pointed out repeatedly the need for the appointing authority and those nominating and backing the candidates for the various positions on the NDDC board to respect the mandatory provisions of the NDDC Act particularly section 1, subsection 2 and Section 12 which requires that the Chairman, Managing Director, Executive Directors and State representatives must be amongst other things, persons from an oil producing area.
This is to recognize the fact that historically, the reason for the creation of the NDDC and its provision made by the National Assembly was to address the agitations by oil-producing communities who complained of infrastructural deficit and exclusion.
So it is not enough for a nominee to be competent professionally or academically, this is one requirement. The second requirement is that the person must pass the test of indegeneship in the Act.
I observed with dismay that a lot of Mr. President’s nominees in this list did not pass the indegeneship test though professionally competent and of reputable backgrounds. I made this point not in opposition to any candidate in particular but to them all so we don’t have a culture of disobedience of the NDDC Act, gradually leading to a total abandonment of the indegeneship principle.
As it is, the NDDC Act is more adhered to in breach than in compliance.
All the same, I am in touch with the members of the committee and my position is that if we need to fast forward the screening and clearing of the nominees because the government is winding down, let it be on a condition and a resolution should be sent to the President who is the appointing authority and as a reference to future presidents underscoring the fact that they need to comply with the clear provisions of the Act with respect to indegeneship.
I congratulate all the nominees who eventually may be recommended by the committee.
In the case of Bayelsa, Mr. President has done well by nominating the MD designate Samuel Ogbuku from Bayelsa and the state representative Hon. Dimaro Denyabofa, who are both eminently qualified.
I congratulate them and indeed all the members of the National Assembly from Bayelsa state are united and in support of the nomination of the MD designate and the State representative.
We wish them the best of luck and I have advised that there should be broad consultation in determining the choice of projects and other policies. The Governors and all stakeholders should be consulted and the NDDC should focus on big ticket projects with the capacity to transform the Niger Delta and let go of petty projects. I also advised that the NDDC should cease to be a political cash cow for political leaders to control and feather their nests. Too much of this has happened already to the shame and disappointment of everyone in the Niger Delta and in the country.
I warned against friction between board and management which has impaired the normal working of previous boards and it is my hope that all political leaders who sponsored the nominees as well as those who appointed them, should give them room to consult stakeholders and identify priority projects that are beneficial to the various states and people in the Niger Delta working in tandem with the states, other agencies of the Federal Government and development partners to advance the course of development, peace and stability in the Niger Delta.
I wish them luck and an eventful term in office.
HSD.

Visit to Odi community

On Saturday I had the pleasure of visiting Odi community to commiserate with my former Personal Physician who is currently the Executive Secretary of Bayelsa Health Insurance Scheme, Dr. Zuoboemi Agadah on the occasion of the burial of his late mother.
I commiserated with him, the family and the Odi community. Mama lived a good and fulfilled life and raised a son in the person of Dr. Agadah amongst several others.
Dr. Zuoboemi Agadah served me loyally and he continues to serve our state. Mama and Agadah’s father properly raised him. He is Dutiful, God-fearing, Quiet, supportive and dedicated to any assignment given to him.
I also saw his beautiful family, three sons who are medical students and only daughter currently studying law. I thanked his wife, Mrs Agadah and the children. I commiserated with them, the elders and others over the loss.
Thereafter, I proceeded to Nembe City where I joined the governor, top government functionaries to commiserate with Honorable (Dr.) Jonathan Obuebite, his wife, children and the entire Obuebite family and the entire Nembe community over the loss of his mother who was being interred and as I spoke at that event, I appreciated the Nembe community and the people for standing by him and joining together to bury as they always do. I reminded them that Nembe is a very historic and important community in Ijaw Land.
I was pleased to have witnessed the reconciliation and the statement of brotherly love by two notable grassroots leaders of the community and in the state, namely, Gabriel Jonah, the leader of Otita Political Force and Honorable Dr. Jonathan Obuebite, leader of the Wind Political Family, having presided over the state and knowing what happened especially toward the dying days of my government and the incidence in Nembe.
It was very refreshing seeing the maturity displayed by the younger brother of my deputy governor, Hon. Gabriel Jonah, the leader of Otita Political Force who with Hon. Jonathan Obuebite made heartfelt statements of reconciliation, peace and solidarity in Nembe community. I commend both of them and as I said in my remarks, I enjoined all the youths, the elders in Nembe community to continue on the path of solidarity, peace and consensus building and to support development within Nembe and the state. Having said that, I proceeded to the traditional burial ceremony in Nembe called Tiripaga which I know is the most important aspect of any burial ceremony in Nembe with all the chiefs, elders, men and women in attendance which I also frankly made it clear that contrary to the mischief makers and blackmailers, the people of Nembe should know that No one in Ijaw land is more Ijaw than the Nembe man and that the people, especially the youths should be informed and properly educated about their identity and that we are all Ijaws but of different clans with minor dialectical variations and I commended the chiefs and the elders for upholding the burial customs and traditions for our people and it was a pleasure to have been in Nembe again which is one ijaw city that honors and upholds rich tradition and culture of our people. I commiserated with the Chiefs and the Tiripaga and I made my contribution to the burial and the traditionalists and I proceeded back to Abuja.
We pray the good Lord comfort the families of the bereaved and grant the souls of the departed, eternal repose.

BAYELSA FLOODS: FRIENDS OF SENATOR DICKSON BEGIN DONATION, – N11 MILLION RAISED SO FAR

Few days after the Senator representing Bayelsa West, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson donated over 15 million Naira to alleviate the acute living conditions of flood victims in Bayelsa, his friends have raised N11 million to support them under the platform of Friends of Senator Dickson.

Senator Dickson who conveyed his appreciation to the benevolent donors most of whom prefer to be anonymous also expressed gratitude to the beneficiaries.

Dickson reiterated his appeal to public-spirited individuals, NGOs, and corporations, to come to the rescue of displaced and suffering flood victims.

Dickson said, he appreciated the Initiative of his friends who came together to start this humanitarian drive.

According to him, a special account for the foundation has been opened with Sterling Bank into which the donations from his friend are Domiciled and into which further donations can be made.

Dickson also reiterated the policy of the foundation to record and publish the list of all donors as well as the beneficiaries for purposes of transparency.

However, he said that where there are requests for anonymity, the foundation will have no option but to respect their preference.

He added that donation is not only in cash but also in kind as the foundation would make arrangements to receive all such donations in kind such as relief materials of every description.

He said, “Following the announcement of my donation to flood victims in Bayelsa State, some of my friends called to support and as at now they have raised Eleven Million Naira. A number of them preferred to be anonymous.

“However, we will do a letter from the foundation to express my gratitude and that of our people to them.

Dickson had made donations running into millions of Naira to alleviate the plight of flood victims in Bayelsa State.

The Senator announced a donation of N400,000 Naira to each of the wards in the Sagbama Ekeremor Senatorial District on Wednesday in Abuja

Dickson, a former two-term Governor of the state also announced a donation of N5 million to those affected by the flood in Yenagoa, the state capital.

He stated further that his friends under the aegis of ‘Friends of Senator Dickson’ were also putting donations together to the sub-account of Henry Seriake Dickson Foundation to reach out to those affected by the ravaging flood.

He said, Those willing to donate both in cash and in kind, can do so through the foundation’s

Sub-Account details:
Account Name: SENATOR HSD FOUNDATION FLOOD RELIEF FUND
Bank Name: Sterling Bank PLC PLC
Account Number: 0091512632

For relief materials and any other assistance to the victims kindly contact.
Dr. Clement Angiangei: 08030843555
Or Ebizimo Okoroye: 09076311111
Or Stephen O. Ekoja: 0803669088

He stressed that the funds would be distributed dispassionately to the victims irrespective of political affiliations.

DICKSON DONATES MILLIONS OF NAIRA TO BAYELSA FLOOD VICTIMS

The Senator representing Bayelsa West in the National Assembly, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, has made donations running into millions of Naira to alleviate the plight of flood victims in Bayelsa State.

The Senator announced a donation of N400,000 Naira to each of the wards in the Sagbama Ekeremor Senatorial District on Wednesday in Abuja

Dickson, a former two-term Governor of the state also announced a donation of N5 million to those affected by the flood in Yenagoa, the state capital.

He stated further that his friends under the aegis of ‘Friends of Senator Dickson’ are also putting donations together to the account of the Henry Seriake Dickson Foundation to reach out to those affected by the ravaging flood.

He added that the donations are in addition to discreet efforts being made to ensure that the harsh effect of the flood on the people is reduced.

He stressed that the funds would be distributed to the people of the area irrespective of political affiliations.

The former Governor added that he had earlier dispatched some items to the state which are still in transit and are expected in the state.

Dickson who repeated his call on the Federal government to go into urgent collaborative action with the states on the debilitating effects of the flood said that the time has come for the Federal Government to proffer lasting solutions to the flood menace.

He said, “As governor of our state for eight years and as one who managed devastating floods and natural disasters within that period, I am distressed by the images, videos and reports emanating from our communities in Bayelsa state.

“I have an idea of the magnitude of damage and devastation this has caused and the toll it has on families and livelihoods. I also understand the limits to what the government or any one person can do.

“I have since, like any other leader, been inundated with the cries of our people which are genuine. Irrespective of what we have been doing silently, I announce formally, a donation that will be made available through my foundation, the Henry Seriake Dickson Foundation, the sum of N400,000.00 Per ward in Bayelsa West Senatorial District and an additional Five Million Naira (N5,000,000.00) for displaced residents in Yenagoa City, the state capital.

“This will be managed under the supervision of our respected Elders, Chief T. K. O. Okorotie and supported by Hon. Fyneman Wilson who will serve as the coordinator, with selected elders, women and youths in the senatorial district and will be disbursed in an apolitical manner. I, therefore, call for cooperation and understanding.

“This is my little way of adding to whatever support the government and well-meaning individuals and organizations have been doing.

“Last week after receiving the reports and speaking with the governor, I made calls and had meetings with relevant authorities who have since dispatched some support which sadly is still stuck in transit.

“The above donation by my foundation is a simple token of my care, especially when compared to the magnitude of the devastation, destruction, inconveniences and suffering occasioned by the flood that has affected every person, family and community in the state.

“The funds will be managed dispassionately no matter how little, irrespective of the political divide, so I call for understanding as no amount of monetary support can be sufficient at this trying time.

“We only pray and hope that the flood recedes soon and that all concerned, the Federal Government, State Government and residents all learn to be better prepared next time.

“Lastly, I repeat my earlier call for the Federal Government and its agencies to robustly collaborate with the government of Bayelsa State.

“It is time for the Federal Government to take measures In stopping the perennial flooding in Nigeria caused by the activities or operations of Dams in neighbouring countries. This should be treated as a matter of national security.

“Once again, my condolences to all those who lost loved ones, this is sad and I want you to always know that I care.”

Atala Oil Well: Group exonerates Sen. Dickson, commends him for joining hands with Diri in retrieving state-owned oil well.

A Bayelsa West Social Cultural group, Bayelsa WestCongress have commended the former Governor of Bayelsa State and Senator Representing Bayelsa West, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson for working hand in hand with Governor Douye Diri and other Bayelsa leaders over the state’s oil wells.

The group condemned statements made against the Senator over the administration of the state’s oil wells. Most especially, false claims made by one Ikuli that the senator has a stake in the state’s oil wells.

The group said

“Senator Dickson does not own an Oil License and has never applied for an oil operating license. Even if we want to assume he applied for an oil license, is it his long-time political rival Timipre Sylva that will grant him an oil license?”

The group stated that Senator Dickson is not a businessman and has no personal interests in the Bayelsa Oil fields apart from the general interest of Bayelsa State. As a matter of fact, the group said, when one of the oil wells Atala OML was shut down last year, it was Senator Dickson who called Timipre Sylva on phone for the first time in a long time to complain about why an oil field belonging to Bayelsa State was cancelled and the petroleum minister for state clarified to Senator Dickson that it was not just Atala OML but all non-producing Oil fields owned by other governments. This was publicly revealed in a statement by Senator Dickson.

The group noted that someone with an interest in the Oil wells will not act in that manner, instead the person would seek to take advantage of the situation.

The group noted that Senator Dickson in a statement revealed that Governor Diri had reached out to him for his counsel on the matter as he had already brought it up with the President and the Petroleum Minister. Senator Dickson then accompanied Governor Diri to discuss the matter with President Buhari

The Group further asked Bayelsans to ignore Wisdom Ikuli who they described as a serial blackmailer and liar.

“Bayelsans are already used to Wisdom Ikuli’s regular lies and lack of wisdom. It is yet another futile attempt by Ikuli and his paymasters to drag Senator Dickson into their lies and blackmail”

“Bayelsans know that it is Ikuli’s paymasters who cancelled the Atala OML and gave the contract to their friends and business associates and not Senator Dickson who doesn’t have the power to do so”

The group further added that it is Senator Dickson who upheld the interests of the state and the Ijaw nation as Governor and has continued to do so as Senator.

“As Governor, Senator Dickson fought to win the Oluasiri/Nembe/Soku oil well cases at the Supreme Court against the Rivers State government in 2013 led by then Gov. Rotimi Amaechi; what Ikuli’s masters couldn’t accomplish. Up until Senator Dickson left office as Governor, Bayelsa was collecting the derivation’s funds from the Oluasiri/Nembe/Soku oil well.”

The group added that They know for a fact that Rivers State is currently receiving the derivation funds of that oil well based on what Governor Nyesom Wike boasted last week.

“What have Ikuli and his employers done to safeguard the Nembe-Oluasiri fortune that Wike’s Rivers state administration has reclaimed after Senator Dickson fought to get it back?” The group asks.

The group also called on the current administration to speak up and clarify these issues.