Henry Seriake Dickson

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Book launch of the LetterMan

I was at the book launch of the LetterMan to honour and support Mojeed, a thorough professional who has done a great Job in compiling some of the letters of former President Obasanjo.
Former President Obasanjo is an iconic leader in Nigeria, Africa and around the world and I thank Mojeed for providing additional insight into the workings and mind of this great man.
As a supporter of history and in particular, Nigerian and African history, I believe that Nigerians do not write or read enough about their history and Mojeed’s work throws more light into some of the complex jigsaws in our country’s march towards nationhood and the roles those key personalities have played.
It is good to preserve our history and knowledge and pass it on to generations unborn. This was why after I visited the Olusegun Obasanjo library (OOPL), I was further encouraged to preserve materials relating to my service as governor in the library owned by my foundation, The Henry Seriake Dickson Foundation (HSDF), the launch of which was kindly chaired by former President Obasanjo himself. The library will have this book in it and the Foundation is purchasing 50 copies with the sum Two Million Naira.
I recommend this book to everyone and I challenge Journalists to undertake more research into the lives and activities of our leaders as Mojeed has done.

Niger Delta region on developments on The Presidential Amnesty Program

Arising from complaints and issues by participants, stakeholders and some youths in the Niger Delta region on developments on The Presidential Amnesty Program, I convened a closed door meeting with the pioneer amnesty coordinator Chief Ndutimi Alaibe that set up the template of the program and the current Presidential Adviser General Ndiomu this morning after which Chief Alaibe and I formally congratulated him and also pledged support for the continuation of the amnesty program as we have since done.
We believe in the ability of General Ndiomu to pilot and bring to greater fruition, the objectives of the program as originally conceived.
We are aware of the challenges and we believe that with the support and understanding by all, these can be surmounted and he has the capacity to do so. He has our support and we call for the support of all beneficiaries and stakeholders of the program.
We call for the continuation of the program and also greater financial support from the federal government to enable the program continue with the lofty ongoing programs of the PAP e.g the ongoing scholarships which need to continue for the benefit of our people and the country, skills development of the participants, the completion of ongoing construction of training facilities in the region that will help in capacity building and also the prompt payment of stipends and other allowances.
Once again, we call for support for General Ndiomu and the program and we believe that the coordinator and his team will address all issues of concern.
I thank them both for coming.

MY THANKSGIVING MESSAGE

I left Abuja early this morning for Yenagoa to join our governor, leaders and good people of our dear State to observe our annual Thanksgiving which holds every November 2nd by Law.
Congratulations once again to the state, the governor, the government and all the people of Bayelsa. As I said in my brief remarks at the occasion, we commend and congratulate the governor for continuing with this initiative which pleased the Lord to use me, my government and my team to initiate in 2012 as Governor.
How time flies to note that today was the 11th Edition of the State Annual Thanksgiving Service. It was a pleasure to join all our Leaders and especially to have met our leader and father, the Former President of Nigeria, His Excellency Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who also found time to grace the occasion as he always does and I expressed my appreciation to him for his encouragement and support to the state. I call on all our leaders to join hands at moments like this to together in unison irrespective of differences, be they political or otherwise.
As time goes on, we hope that the Thanksgiving service will be observed by all Bayelsans even in their homes and it will be an opportunity for all leaders of the state and people to meet together and praise God for his faithfulness, that is why it is a public holiday by law.
Not everything is politics and we should learn from others. Certain things transcend politics. Our Social activities, Burials, deaths, celebrations, State occasions etc are beyond politics and it was gratifying that the Governor led the state and all of us in thanksgiving even amid this devastating flood.
As I said at the occasion, I was speechless flying into Bayelsa and seeing all our communities and homes still submerged up to roof level. As everyone knows, Bayelsa is the Basin of the Delta where all major rivers in Nigeria flow through to empty into the Atlantic.
While other states like Kogi, Benue and Anambra are affected, Bayelsa and the surrounding neighbouring states, parts of Delta, and Rivers that share the same environmental and climatic conditions suffer much. The entire Bayelsa is under water and I once again use the occasion to call on the Federal Government, International community and well-meaning persons and agencies as I have earlier done.
We have all tried, the government itself has tried, all individuals and leaders, but the devastation is simply overwhelming. I found time also to visit some of the camps along the airport road to Amassoma that have been split into 3 or four places and interacted with some of the Internally Displaced People and as someone who managed several floods and other natural disasters in the course of my 8-year tenure as governor, I know the distraction, the toll it takes and I call for understanding as I did earlier.
Let us again, use the opportunity of thanksgiving to reaffirm our resolve as one Bayelsa people, one Ijaw people and join hands to support our state and our people and the government of the day. When it is time for politics, we can play the politics but this is the time to empathize, to support and work together for the survival of our people.
It was refreshing flying again to the airport that I built as a governor in a recession. That is the only gateway into Bayelsa as all road routes have been cut off which was the reason my government at the time, even in a recession gave priority to have a gateway for the Ijaw nation.
This is the first airport in the heart of Ijaw Land and right now, it is our gateway to the rest of the country and the World as all other routes have been cut off. I believe that as time goes by and the years roll by, this Airport will even be more valuable, as it is intended as a free trade zone. All the propaganda, blackmail and allegations were thrown at me were a small price I and my team paid in service of our people. I was glad that our airport even in this unprecedented deluge, is not flooded. I commend the contractor Dantata & Sawoe and the supervisory team for a job well done. The airport was dry and busy with commercial flights.
Finally, it was a pleasure to be in the company and gathering of our people to support the governor, the government and our state in today’s thanksgiving service. I thank all the clergymen especially the guest minister Dr Paul Enenche and his wife for finding time to officiate at the service.
I pray that in-spite of our imperfections as humans, and as shortcomings as leaders, that God continues to have mercy and accept our offerings of thanksgiving and usher in greater stability, unity of purpose, divine guidance and inspiration for our leaders, tolerance and understanding for all our people, more developments, stability and peace.
HSD

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.

Sen. Henry Seriake Dickson gives educational support grants to 90 law school students

Today, I presented an educational support grant to deserving students of Bayelsa origin totalling 90 whose names and LGAs are listed below and are currently in the 2021/22 session of the Nigerian Law School.
They will receive N100, 000.00 (One hundred thousand naira) grant each. I also approved the sum of N870, 000. 00 (Eight hundred and seventy thousand naira) educational support grant for Miss Emmanuel Ebilaere Favour, an indigent Bayelsan student studying in Zanakuro Iscom University, Benin Republic, which has been paid directly to the school account.
Throughout my public career, I have left no one in doubt about the primacy of position I attach to the issue of Education, building educational institutions, infrastructure, policies and the development of human capital in general.
This was why as governor I awarded an unprecedented number of scholarships, both local and foreign even in a recession.
Now in my present capacity as a senator, I have continued to use the Henry Seriake Dickson Foundation (HSDF) to support Education, scholarships, sports and human capital development in whichever little way I can.
We have kick-started this today as the first batch and some others will follow. I congratulate the awardees and urge them to accept this as a token of my appreciation for their efforts and to encourage them to do more in their educational pursuits.
As someone who has always been passionate about education, I deliberately extended this batch of beneficiaries beyond my Senatorial District in the same way I extended scholarships and other opportunities as governor to all Ijaws outside Bayelsa.
My Constituency office and officials will follow up on the Postgraduate Educational Support program for PhD. and masters students. Some have already been contacted and others have been noted but for those who are qualified and intend to participate, feel free to contact my constituency office through the numbers listed below for verification.
Tony Ogula – 07066781356
Bar Bordillon Ogugubeni – 08064283764

List of current beneficiaries

1. Amangala M. Joshua
2. Amiekumo Oyeinkule Priscilla
3. Tarilayefa Ogidi
4. Tarinabo-Debi Ebinyo Toyin
5. Timipre Obiene Barigha
6. Maccarthy Izibetoyin
7. Tiebogiren E. Possibility
8. Ebiegberi Zidafamor
9. Ebisuobo Rufus Thankgod
10. Oborie Ephraim Hope
11. Okoko Nathaniel
12. Gigi Benjamin Marcell
13. Azibaolanari Obana
14. Dumbo Desmond Mutu
15. Solomon Samson
16. Hillary Okorotie
17. Nanapere Prudence Tamarapreye
18. Agadaga Donald
19. Favour Onoriode
Yola
20 Sam Jonah Godstime
21 Ebitimi Ebidoughebofa Kingsley
22 Lokoson Veronica Ebiwari
23 Amakiri Yibamiemunu
24 Youpele woringidiepreye Sophia
25 Kenigua Pere-ere princess
26 Okpotolomo Ebiowei
27 Victoria Pree ifidi
Abuja
28 Samuel Abila
29 Akuna Powedei
30 Winston Mercy Ayebatari
31 Bekeowei Tamaradie
32 Ezekiel Ikionana Ellen
33 Onungo Princess Ibiwari
34 Emily Robert Ayalla
35 Peres Mitiya
36 Abowei Annex Bernard
37 Timibra Jonah Wilson
38 Okoko Joy Perefinere
39 Otuogha Gesiye
40 Charles Onyema Chukwuma
41 Jim Ogbo Queen Mienenimebebi
42 Ekanem Tarinabo Helen
43 Happy John Honour
44 Nat- Beregha Hope
45 Ogidi Tarilayefa Ben
46 Arisou Enebikedou
47 Gift Keriebo
48 Afentu Oyindeinyefa Duke
49 Ebiere Theresa
50 Iyudu Usivwi Keren
51 Ukieh Gift Ikioha
52 Beregha Esinfa Temple
53 Abidde Theophany James
54 Dagana W Faith
55 James E Allagoa
Yenagoa
56 Kainti Ebiladou Tabitha
57 Anthony P Deborah
58 Genesis Toboulayefa Vivian
Lagos
59 Igbadiwei Macdonald Ebimoboere
60 Puromeiziba Ipigansi
61 Ebiason Ayebainagbo Annabel
62 Janet T Abiri
63 Ken Austine Izibenifien
64 Ebikeniye Sandra
65 Smith Livinus-Agala
66 Friday Kuroyifa Wisdom
67 Esegi Maureen Izibevie
68 Oyinkepreye Louis
69 Tom Ebibo Ayawari
70 Soroghaye Rebecca
71 Uyabara A Boneghen
72 Daniel Doubra Esther
73 Edevie Delia Afinavie
74 Igbelekumo Emilia Preye
75 Debbie Laye Andrew
76 Primrose Epiekiri
77 Buruboyefe Ukiye simeon
78 Vic-Sandra George
Kano
79 John Prosper Obokparo
80 Akamu Oyakemeagbegha Roland
81 Jimmy James Calmday
82 Appam blessing tamarakuro
83 Bestman Queen
84 Ebitimi Osain
85 Olali, Karinate Deborah
86 Frank Naniye Okpara
87 Ogbosain Apeikumo Poweide
88 Akoukiri Rita Douyerinlayefa
89 Igwela, Samuel Obiosa
90 Igodo, Ebiowei Frank Geofrey