NEWS BLACKOUT ON GOVERNOR DICKSON WORRY BAYELSANS

Hon. Seriake Dickson

The people of Bayelsa State especially politicians and Civil Servants are no longer comfortable with the absence of the governor, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson who was said to have left office for over two weeks on what government sources call his annual leave.
During this long period of the governor's absence news about his where about has also not been coming to the people of the state. In fact Mr. Dickson has been on total news black out with even those in the Executive Council of the state are said to be in the dark on the movement of the governor. The governor was said to have hurriedly traveled  out of Yenagoa the state capital after appointing some commissioners and swearing them in left them like fatherless children. The situation of his long absence in office and lack of free flow of information about his where about, not even a word from him had triggered up so much worry from many quarters.
Close government officials like the Hon. Commissioner of Information and Orientation, Jonathan Obuebite had told newsmen about the governor being in a good heal and had spoken to him there has been no showing up by the governor to the end of April, when he assured of returning to pay workers the back log of salary arrears owed them by his administration.
Some incidences that triggered peoples interest on the governor's long absence incommunicado were 1. His absence on the May day without a word from him, was a great concern to the civil Servants of the state who were assured of his presence based on the hope of his agreement with them on salaries payment to be actualized. But he did not show up.
2. There was a crisis in Nembe Bassambiri in Nembe Local Government Area, where one or two persons where reported killed, who as the Chief security Officer of the would have taken a bold step to either make a statement to condemn the dastardly act or moved in, to see things for himself etc; but even at that nothing was heard of the governor till date.
It has rather been a matter of speculation by some persons in government circle who continue to say; "he will come tomorrow or next tomorrow or next week..."
There are so many information making the rounds that are not yet known to the media, except the information that one of his former aides, Mr. Abenego Don Evarada was arrested by the EFCC on account of bribery with the sum of N10 million to free the Special Assistant to the governor on MDGS, Mr. Apere Mbeleako and his wife who have case money laundering with the EFCC  amounting to the total of N1billion. The husband Mr. Apere Mbeleakpo was said to be caught with a whopping sum of N800million, while his wife was caught with N200 million at this most critical moment that salaries had not been paid for months.
The Bayelsa State Civil servants who have reached the elastic end of waiting for salaries have taken a position giving a 21 day ultimatum for salaries payment or they close the state secretariat against the governor and his cohorts.
In the same vein the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employee [NULGE] had also vowed to see that their salaries are paid not just month but many months at once.
The pensioners have also made representations on their long awaited pension arrears where some of them were reported to have been beaten and attacked with dangerous weapons that led to various degree of injuries which resulted to their hospitalization.
No matter what, Bayelsans are tired of news blackout on the governor believing that if he doesn't the expected salaries payment for this month may likely go into another voice mail.  

.