Seriake Dickson, the Bayelsa State governor, at the weekend swore in four newly appointed commissioners into the State Executive Council (SEC), decrying neglect of the state by the Federal Government......
Those sworn in were Kia Nigeria-Ebidoughabofa as the Commissioner for Science, Technology and Manpower Development; Iselema Gbaranbiri (Special Duties in charge of Central Senatorial District); Prince Isiki Awudumapu (Federal Projects), and Godwin Konyefa (Works and Infrastructure).
Dickson had in December 2018 sworn in five commissioners after they were screened and confirmed by the state House of Assembly.
He expressed displeasure at the lack of federal presence in Bayelsa in terms of development projects, saying, “Right now, there is almost zero-federal input in this state in terms of development projects.
“The Ministry of Federal Projects has to work with almost all the ministries and our people in the National Assembly and Federal Permanent Secretaries to know how many of our people get federal employments, what is being done concerning hospitals, roads and how we should approach such matters.”
He called on the Federal Government to take deliberate measures to give the state a sense of belonging, adding that his administration was prepared to collaborate with the Federal Government and key stakeholders on funding of critical developments projects.
He listed such projects as Agge Deep Seaport and the Nembe-Brass Road, stressing they were too capital intensive for the state government alone to handle.
He disclosed that a meeting would soon be held to enable federal agencies, the state government, oil companies and other development partners, to agree on a time-frame and mechanism of constructing the Nembe-Brass Road.
He restated his administration’s commitment towards the completion of most of the projects, including Sagbama-Ekeremor Road and the Isaac Boro Expressway Yenagoa before leaving office next year.
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