GOVT. CALLS ON BAYELSANS TO EMBRACE VOTERS REVIEW

Hon. Fyneman Wilson

Hon. fyneman Wilson and Dr.George Fente

 The Government of Bayelsa State is making a clarion call on the people of the state to have their names registered in the ongoing voters registration exercise across the nation.
Addressing the Press in the Conference hall of the S/A Political in the state capital, Yenagoa, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, Hon. Fyneman Wilson said there was need for the people of the state to be mobilized for the exercise so that the target of having the actual voters strength of the state will be achieved.
He stated that the exercise which began about a month ago has not been embraced by the people of the state as expected, and called on Bayelsans holding political positions at the national, state and local government levels to come together and work for the success of this voters review and continued registration exercise in the state, Hon. Fyneman Wilson said.
He used the medium to inform that Bayelsa state, had a low voters register at the last exercise, because of what he called apathy to voters registration, and appealed to the people to mobilize all sons and daughters of the state of voting age to be registered so as not to repeat the same mistake. Hear him:
"You will recall that in the last election, Bayelsa State was one of the states with the least number of votes owing to voters apathy and low number of  registered voters in the state. It is important to note that the citizens participation  in a democracy determines how the society progresses. One of such ways to participate in decision making in a democratic process is for citizens  to exercise their civic responsibilities such as the right to vote and be voted for." the S/A Political emphasized.
Wilson who said government alone cannot do it, appealed to all Bayelsans including all residents to take the exercise serious, to participate and to get their voters cards which  will be useful to them at elections and in other important official needs. Hear this:
"Please note that this exercise is very important. By participating in this exercise, Bayelsans and residents in the state will have the opportunity to increase the voting strength in the state since it is one of the indices used in planning and increasing our stake at the federal level. It is imperative for Bayelsans, especially those at the rural communities to turnout enmasse to take part in the INEC registration exercise."
Also speaking, the Caucus Chairman of the PDP, Nembe L.G.A, Dr. George Allen Fente, said the Press has a role to play in mobilizing the people to achieve success in this very important voters review and continued registration exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Dr. Fente who is also the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Royal FM and ITV in the state stated thus:
"...the press should take this as a corporate responsibility to call on the people to come out in their numbers to register and not to leave it for the government alone.
He remarked that apart from using the card for electoral purposes, there are other areas that the voters card could be useful. Hear him:
"...Bayelsans need to be registered because the voters card may be required as a tender at the banks, and for other important official transactions." Dr. Fente concluded.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Inter Party Relations, Chief Ben Robert Eyororokumoh was also at the Conference.

A cross 

BAYELSA AND DEVELOPMENT

Dr. Tabowei

When Bayelsa State was created out of Rivers in 1996, it was a welcome development for many reason, because state autonomy brings about many benefits.
Talk about political postions, civil service positions, employment of youths, educational and economic development and health care delivery services amongst others.
At the beginning, the newly created Bayelsa State faced great challenges amongst which were accomodation, road construction, power supply, water supply,  transportation and health care delivery to mention a few.
Out of the challenges that faced the state, every administration both the minlitary and political governments paid befitting attention to health care delivery hence hospitals, health centres, schools of health and nursing and other people oriented health projects established in many parts of the state.
And whereas the Ministry of Health in every succesive administration built the health fascilities even as the present administration is doing, so also had the Hospitals Management Board assigned with the management of such health fascilities in the state.
Considering the ecology of a state that is largely riverine  with communities in lands that defy governments development efforts, not easily accessible because of poor road networks, gives the signal that the successes of the present administration may not unconnected to strict commitment by the present administration.
Efforts by Golden Pen Newspaper to have a word from the Chief Medical Director (CMD) was not successful,  at press time, as he was said to be in a meeting.

RELOCATION OF OPERATIONAL HQS,: OIL COMPANIES SHOULD BE SANCTIONED IF-BARRISTER IWOLO By Evans Tubonah

Barrister Iwolo Ebeni

Ag. President Yemi Osinbajo

  A Yenagoa based legal practitioner, Barrister Iwolo Ebeni has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to sanction Oil companies operating in the country should they flout the executive order by the President that they should relocate their corporate headquarters to their areas of operations.
Barrister Ebeni who is a voice in the Niger Delta on critical issues stated this, while exangig views with the Golden Pen Newspaper in the Bayelsa state capital, Saturday.
He took a swipe on the oil companies for not being proactive to the myriad of compliants by oil bearing communities and the consequences of protestations, agitation and militancy over the years.
Giving kudos to the Acting President, Professor Osinbajo for giving the executive order, Barrister Ebeni said the delay by the oil companies since after the order not showing any sign of relocation tantamount to undermining the federal authority, and posited that such attitudes are most likely to attract punitive measures. Hear him:-
"There are several measures you deal with erring corporate organizations, once the president of a country makes any pronouncement;  that should be taken as a policy statement, and when it is flouted, there should be some punitive measures.
"If they are sanctioned then they will know that... the president has spoken and they must obey so, sanction must follow, and once they are sanctioned, definitely they will do what is needful. So I am recommending that they should be sanctioned."
The legal practitioner, tracing the history of oil find in Bayelsa State and the Niger Delta, remarked that the people of oil bearing communities across the Niger Delta have suffered degradation and poverty, while all the benefits accruing from it's exploration and exploitation was used to improve lands and people outside the region.

"If you talk about development in the Niger Delta from when oil was found, if you go to Oloibiri, Southern/Ijaw, Nembe, Brass, Yenagoa and the rest of the LAG's where oil production activities are taking place, you will weep. I say so because those areas uptil now are underdeveloped. You know Kaiama/Declaration came as a result of the under development of the Niger Delta. When our people went and saw how Abuja was developed as a result of the money gotten from oil, when the went to Lagos and  saw some of these things people were honesty agitated, compared to where this oil is coming from. Go to Korokorosei, go to Ajujuama, and other oil producing  areas you discover that development has not gotten to any of these areas, compared to what is taken away from there. So, in terms of development...Bayelsa, Niger Delta generally is under developed"
He therefore called on the oil companies to obey the FG relocation order and build their corporate headquarters in the areas of their operation to change the story of the region, by effecting employment, and developing the land?
The Lawyer observed with concern what he called the laziness of the youths of the Niger Delta, because of the operations of oil companies in their areas in these words
"There are a lot of issues that are associated with the discovery of oil. It has made our youths lazy, so lazy in the sense that because of th companies that are coming around us.. nobody is ready to work, nobody  is ready to any hard work The agricultural aspect that was booming that, before the oil era, nobody thinks about it, nobody is thinking of how to work and earn a living any more.
" We have stay at home  jobs, people stay at homes and get salaries. People agitate over one thing or the other without going to school .."
Out of all these Barrister Iwolo Ebeni noted that the region had been left underdeveloped by the oil companies, with all their headquarters located far away from their operational areas, the reason for which the executive order by the Federal Government directing the relocation of all oil companies headquarters to their operational states, came at the most appropriate time, and urged the FG not to shy away from sanctioning them if they dare flout the order, he concluded.

Oil flow station

KANU SHOULD STOP MENTIONING IJAW AS BIAFRA

Chief Evans Tubonah

Nigeria is our beloved country and we have lived in peace since we inherited her from our forefathers.

When you look at Nigeria, if you have a positive mindset you will appreciate the works of the colonial masters who amalgamated our various communities and ethnic nationalities to such a great nation that is known all over the world as the largest  African nation on planet earth.

That had been a great blessing to those of us who became Nigerians not by ourselves but by the will of God that made us to be. As a people,  we don't have a choice as to which family we have to be born into or which community should be ours, what language should we speak etc.

And that no doubt may be the very reason I, Chief Otonye Evans Tubonah and you Nnamdi Kanu come from different backgrounds, different places. I am an Ijaw man from Nembe, Bayelsa State, Niger Delta, South/South Nigeria, and Nnamdi Kanu, you are an Igbo man and everything about you is just Igbo and that is it, nothing more nothing less  And I don't doubt the fact that your ancestors or forefathers did tell you of your ancestry, as my forefathers and ancestors also did.
That being the truth, you, Nnamdi Kanu could not feign ignorance to the truth that the Igbo People and the Ijaw people are not one. Before the amalgamation, during the amalgamation and from Independence to State and Local Government creation in Nigeria the Igbo and the Ijaw people never sat together to place a demand on any issue, because they are not one.
And Nnamdi Kanu, if you don't know your geographical boundary as an Igbo man and want to claim lands and people of others that have nothing to do with you and your ancestors, it beats my imagination. And I believe, it will also beat  the imagination of every right thinking person  in Nigeria, and people all over the world that the self styled noise making  leader of the Independent People Of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu does not know his boundary.
For the interest of truth and the unity of our God blessed nation, Nigeria, one cannot shy away from calling the erring, IPOB leader, Mr. Kanu that neither Bayelsa State, nor any Ijaw land is part of your 'Republic of Biafra Dream', so you have to stop forthwith embarrassing our people by associating us to your fake, selfish and self seeking imaginations?
Because of your age disadvantage, you may not have witnessed what is called 'Biafra' in the historic Nigerian civil war, so you don't know what happened. You have been making so much noise, using your invisible Radio station, the New Media and the Print Media to create tension in the land and crisis in some parts of the country, but that was not the best approach to whatever a man may desire to have in life.
Nnamdi Kanu, your attempt to include Bayelsa State or any other Ijaw land as 'Biafra' is your misadventure, and you should retrace fast so that you don't become ashamed of the fact that you don't know your boundary, you don't know your people, which means that you don't even know what you are doing, but that is not my worry.
If you say you are the leader of the Igbo people, that you are the leader of the 'who is who' in Igbo land, that has nothing to do with me; if you declare Igbo land whatever Republic and declare yourself the president of the Republic, it has nothing to do with  me, but the advice I have for you is, stop calling Bayelsans and people of the Niger Delta as part of your none existent Republic of Biafra.

Nnamdi Kanu

BAYELSA: JOURNALISTS HOLD SERVICE OF SONGS FOR CHRIS EJIM

Comrade Chris Ejim

It was a memorable occasion to witness the gathering of members of the Pen Fraternity in Yenagoa,  Capital of the all Ijaw State, Bayelsa, Niger Delta Region, South/South Nigeria to give honour to one of their own, Comrade Chris Ejim who had left planet earth to join his ancestors.
A Service of Songs programme packaged by the Federated Correspondents Chapel (FCC) at their Secretariat Toolda Road Ekeki, in Yenagoa, had in attendance media dignatories cutting across border lines.
Speaking at the occasion, the  Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Jonathan Obuebite said it was too sudden for the departed Journalist, Mr. Chris Ejim, Correspondent of the New Telegraph to have passed on at the time his services were needed most.
Mr. Obuebite who represented the Governor of the state, Mr. Seriake Dickson remarked that the Bayelsa state government had enjoyed cordial relationship with the media, stated further that the governor  'who is the number one journalist in the state' will continue to encourage the continuity of such relationship.
He spoke well of the late journalist, Mr. Chris Ejim for his commitment to truth and objectivity in the practice of the noble profession, while using the medium to call on all and sundry to shun bickering and acrimony amongst themselves, but to love one another.
Earlier in his welcome address, Chairman of the Federated Correspondent Chapel of the (NUJ), Kola Oredipe said the gathering was in respect of their colleague, Chris Ejim, 'who passed on a couple of weeks ago'.
Mr. Oredipe remarked that it was an occasion for sober reflection to the fact that life is ephemeral, and no one knows when his or her turn will come for departure. He therefore called on journalists in the state not to live a carefree life, but to embrace Christianity and live in the knowledge that, 'this world is not our own, we are just passing through."
The State Chairman of NUJ, Comrade John Angese decried the early deaths of young and vibrant journalists practicing in the state and calls for prayers. He described the late, Chris Ejim as a man who gave his best to the world through the profession of journalism.
Paying a glowing tribute to the late, Chris Ejim, the S/A, Mr. Soji Ajibola, the Chairman of the Bayelsa Federated Newspaper Publishers Association (BAFENPA), Ayibaitari Easterday spoke well of the life and time of the departed who they said was a genius.
In his vote of thanks, the Chairman of the Planning Committee, Osaro Okhomina thanked the people for attending the occasion enemas and wished every one and those who will go for the burial peaceful journey.

AN OPEN SECRET OF CHIEF& MRS ALAYINGI SYLVA By Evans Tubonah

Chief Timipre Sylva

If you  have ever traveled out from anywhere in the world to the Bayelsa State capital, Yenagoa, from the birth of the fourth Republican politics, 1999 to date, there is one man whose name rings bell through the nooks and crannies of the only all Ijaw state of the Niger Delta, in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
A man whose name is Timipre Sylva, one of the  great and illustrious Sons of Nembe, did not come to limelight overnight in Bayelsa State, because he was one of the youthful, intelligent, and purposeful, political leaders that was elected to the Rivers State House of Assembly by his people under the platform of the National Republican Convention (NRC) in the government of Rufus Ada George. As anticipated of him,  he represented his constituency so effectively that the people held him in high esteem.
To be an honourable member in a State Assembly of an oil rich state such as Rivers, was not a little, but a great feat, because it was a  window of opportunities that connected him to his peers in other state houses of assemblies across the nation, across the West African sub-region and the world.
He was a political success  in Rivers State before  the bifurcation following the creation of Bayelsa, Sylva was amongst the political kingpins of the newly created state who moved towards bringing a political party that was going to have national spread and possibly win electoral positions across board.
And that made him a co-founder of the PDP, who amongst others inaugurated the party and flagged-off the campaigns in the state, and because of his involvement in the caucus of the political arrangements in the first democratic election which brought, Chief D.S.P Alamieyeseigha to power as Governor of Bayelsa state, due to his involvement as key player, Hon. Sylva was inarguably made the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters.It was a most demanding office besides that of the governor and the deputy governor.

Hon. Timipre Sylva was on top of that great assignment of mobilizing the party faithful after the victories at the polls, successfully garnered every ward in the 8 LGAS of the state and achieved the strengthening of democracy in the state.

Looking at the track records of achievements, Hon. Timipre Sylva attracted attention at many frontiers, while he was still in the office of the S/A Political, Hon. Sylva was given another assignment, this time at the federal level. He was given the appointment of Personal Assistant (P.A) to the Minister of Petroleum, Dr. Edmund Daukoru, now, the Mingi Xii, Amanyanabo of Nembe during President Obasanjo's administration, 

That was another highly demanding assignment, because it was an international office, demanding international attention. High government officials all over the world, especially from oil producing countries continued to come in their droves to meet with the oil minister, who must pass through the office of Chief Sylva to co-ordinate affairs, who arranged all the meetings, and some times handle less cumbersome matters to lighten the burdens of the Oil Minister.

That gave Sylva a far more responsibility than meets the eyes, because apart from the internal affairs of the ministry that bordered on conferences, meetings etc; there were also highly demanding external duties to perform by the Oil Minister. And the Oil Minister seeing  in Sylva the traits of worthy ambassador, gave him more assignments, either  to represent him at Conferences and or deliver ministerial addresses within and outside the country, including OPEC meetings.

And as a matter of fact, 0that made Sylva not only popular across Nigeria, but also in Africa and in different countries of the world .

Well, Abuja is not where he can vote and be voted for, because politics demanded of him grassroots commitment, therefore he had to come back home, to his ward in Okpoama, and to Nembe where he was made a Chief in the Kalabo group of Chieftaincy Houses in Nembe Bassmbiri where he also declared his ambition to contest the governorship position of Bayelsa State, an election he mysteriously emerged as the governor in 2007. 

He was sworn-in to the office and assumed duties at the peak of  militancy, and faced the economic challenges of blown up pipelines that robbed the state of enough financial allocations to pilot the affairs of the state, yet he continued to smile over the challenges that faced him, thus making history as one of the best people oriented governors of Bayelsa State, who paid salaries of workers and pensioners in the state, regular, at the end of the month.
As easy going as he was, with smiles he pondered over the situation and came out with a solution, the amnesty solution which led to a wilful surrender of arms and ammunition by the militant groups across the Niger Delta, which ushered in, peace and progress to the region.
In all these and even in the most turbulent situations, you can always see Chief Timipre Sylva smiling as if nothing happened. His beloved wife, Alayingi is also like her beloved husband. It's like  smile is their way of  expressing  their deep love for the masses.

Chief & Mrs Sylva 

COMRADE GBASSA ACCUSES BAYELSA GOVT, OF INSINCERITY ON PARIS CLUB REFUNDS By Evans Tubonah

Comrade Ebiserikumoh Gbassa
Human and People's  Rights Activist

Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson
Governor of Bayelsa 

Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John-Jonah
Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State

Today in the Bayelsa State capita, Yenagoa, a Niger Delta born Human and Peoples Rights Activist, Comrade Ebiserikumoh Gbassa was noticed around the State Secretariat Complex, playing his traditional drum to catch the attention of the masses; especially his admirers so as to say what informed his coming out in that form as he used to do.
Noticing Golden Pen Press crew at a distance  the astute Comrade Gbassa, who is also an anti-corruption campaigner, announced that he came to call on the Bayelsa State Government to pay the salaries of workers without further delay.
Speaking in anger, Comrade Gbassa said he was not happy with the Seriake Government which after receiving the Paris Club refunds approved by the Federal Government to pay the backlogs of salaries  of workers and pensioners, the state government had remained adamant, as the people continue  to cry daily. Comrade Gbassa told Golden Pen, that what triggered him to come out to speak was a misleading 'transparency briefing by the deputy governor'.  Hear him:
" You see, a toad does not run for nothing in a broad day light." Serake Dickson in his administrative agenda is squeezing the people and strangulating them. Many are sick because of hunger, while hundreds and thousands of people have died because of non payment of salaries, pensioners, contractors, including non payment of students bursaries."
According to the Activist, who is also an anti-corruption campaigner said, the Bayelsa State government had been economical with the truth, I mean not sincere about how much the governor truly received from the federal Ministry of Finance of the Paris Club refunds, which the Federal government  said was N24.89 billion, but the state government argued that it was just N14. 5 billion.
He berated the deputy governor of the State, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John-Jonah (Rtd) and the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Jonathan Obuebite for not standing on the truth but mixing issues to the detriment of the people of the state.
"The state government had deliberately refused to give honest accounts to the people of the state and the world. If they do, why don't they give account of both the monthly federal allocations that had risen up to billions of naira at once  and give  the actual amount they received from the Paris Club refunds paid to the state to clear the accumulated arrears of civil servants and pensioners in the state.
"In that transparency briefing, the Deputy Governor of the State, retired Rear Admiral  John-Jonah hinged his briefing on the Paris club refunds alone, and came out with different figures from that, published by the Federal Ministry of Finance, and defended by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Obuebite is not transparent, because they were all economical with the truth, they were deceiving the people of the state" Comrade Gbassa observed.
The deputy governor, Gboribiogha John Jonah was quoted as saying that:
"When the first 25 per cent was paid, Bayelsa state could have received N21.168 bn, but when the money came, they only released N14.5 bn to us.
"But again the N14.5bn was not for the state government alone, because out of the amount N1.3bn was for the local government councils.
"So what really came to the state government was N13.2bn". Admiral Jonah clarified.
In his reaction the Bayelsa based Niger Delta Activist Comrade Gbassa had said the transparency briefing was controversial and not at all transparent, because what the public wants to hear from the Dickson administration is whether the Paris Club money had been used to clear the backlog of salaries as directed by the federal government or not. He also queried why the briefing centered only on the Paris club refunds to the state without a mention of the monthly allocations that accrued to the state in the past six months; neither was there any mention of the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state etc. Gbassa said:
" If they want to give true accounts of their stewardship, why then did they not tell Bayelsans the billions of naira, the governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson had collected from the federation's accounts on monthly basis as allocations to the state, the Internally Generated Revenue of the state and other sources of income, and a breakdown of the expenditures...."
Comrade Gbassa said the governor and his deputy are mixing the issues, not telling the truth, while other states are paying salaries, they say, they have not received the money to pay or they have not received the total amount of N24. 89 billion to be able to pay. He described the claims by the deputy governor that the state received only N14. 5 billion out of the above stated amount, as most contrversial and unbelievable, while looking at the episode as a great political error that the deputy governor needed to have distannced himself from the ill fated transparency briefing.
Hear him:
"The Bayelsa State, deputy governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (Rtd) was a highly regarded Military Officer, I so highly respected, but today, he has come out to tell what is not true to mislead the suffering masses in the state and that is unacceptable.
He should be told the truth that his transparency briefing was not transparent, and he did not sound as someone caring about the well being of the suffering masses whose salaries Dickson and himself have denied to pay for months..."
Gbassa further stated that, he was so disappointed with the Deputy Governor, John Jonah and the Information Commissioner for shifting grounds to say that the government later received an additional amount of N6.61bn as part of it's share of the first tranche...", after they had denied it all, he said.
Gbassa contended that he does not see any reason for the State Government to play politics with the destinies of workers, the pensioners, the contractors, the students and the entire people of the state in the none payment of salaries, none payment of pensioners etc.
He further condemned the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson for approving an obnoxious increase of school fees in the state own, Niger Delta University (NDU) from N35,000.00 to N150, 000.00 to also increase the burdens of the same parents suffering from unpaid salaries, and other self employed investors that are struggling to survive in the state to cough out such a jaw breaking amount of money at this trying moment in the history of Bayelsa, to parents whose sons and daughters are in that school.
He shouted to the government saying:
"Be sincere to the people pay the salaries of workers, and the pensioners, and the contractors, and the student bursaries and also pay overhead etc. you don't have any excuse." Comrade Gbassa concluded.