LATEST ON OPU NEMBE BASSAMBIRI AND AITEO

1.  The Case between the Opu NembeBassambiri Oil bearing Community and Oil Prospecting and Exploiting Company Aiteo in the Federal High Court of Nigeria in the Yenagoa Judicial Division did not proceed, on their scheduled date of 16th May 2019.
2. Suit NO: FHC/NG/CS/62/2015 was filed by the Community in 2015 in respect of Oil Mining Lease (OML) 29
   
3. The two parties Opu Nembe Bassambiri and Aiteo had met in Court a number of times with a view to sortng out their  differences as partners in progress before the law without violence. The matter was adjourned to the 24th of June.
4. The Chairman of the Chiefs Council, Chief S.D Ben Koru and other Chiefs and members of the Opu Nembe Bassambiri Kingdom were in attendance.
5. The lead Counsel to the Plaintiffs/Respondents, Barrister Iniruo Wills had a brief interaction with the media.

AS LAW ABIDING COMMUNITY , WE NEED PEACE IN OPU NEMBE BASSAMBIRI, SAYS CHIEF BEN KORU - By Evans Tubonahh

"All we need is peace in Opu Nembe Bassambiri, nothing more, nothing less, because our community stands on the rule of law and we have to respects the rule of law  as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria."
These were the words of the Chairman of the Opu Nembe Bassambiri Council of Chiefs, Chief Senanyo Daniel Ben Koru during an interview with this medium in the Bayelsa State capital, Yenagoa.
He explained that societies prosper more in peaceful environments than lawless and crisis ridden societies.
He reminded the people, that the presidential and National Assembly  elections have come and gone; while the Local Government and Governorship elections in Bayelsa State are around the corner, pointing out that the Opu Nembe Bassambiri Council of Chiefs will not repeat the ugly past and will not condone any form of lawlessness and indiscipline which are counter productive to the smooth running and overall  development of the people and the Kingdom.
Chief Ben Koru made it clear that the national and state's policies of peace and security are the fundamental objectives that the Opu Nembe Council  of Chiefs will continue to vigorously pursue in partnership with both the national and state authorities.  It would be recalled that the Nigerian government had over the years frowned against criminal activities and had made laws to curtail the excesses against perpetrators such as the:
 "Violence Against Persons [Prohibition] Act, 2015
2.Inflicting physical injury on another
[1] A person who willfully causes or inflicts physical injury on another by means of any weapon substances or object, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment... or a fine..."
"Section 398 Criminal Code 1899 reads:
"A person who steals anything capable of being stolen is guilty of a crime, and is liable, if no other punishment is provided to imprisonment for 5 years."
Chief Ben Koru therefore called on every Opu Nembe Bassambiri citizen to shun violence and every unwholesome activities that may portray the community, the state, and nation in bad light, and or lead culprits to regrettable ends. Opu Nembe Bassambiri needs peace and security as panacea for our development, he concluded.

GOV. DICKSON ASSURES PAYMENT OF N30,000.00 MINIMUM WAGE, COMMENDS NLC, TUC FOR EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIP -By Evans Tubonah

Bayelsa State Gov., Seriake Dickson Taking the salute

The Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson had announced that his administration will pay the Thirty Thousand Naira [N30,000.00] minimum wage as soon as "...the National Wages Commission works out the modalities"
The Governor stated this, while addressing a mammoth crowd at the occasion of this year's workers day celebrations at the Isaac Boro Peace Park in the State capital, Yenagoa.
According to him, his administration had always supported the payment of the thirty thousand Naira minimum wage approved by the Federation., and also had the desire to be the first to pay whenever the National Wages Commission would be done with putting out the modalities. 
Hon. Dickson was full of appreciation to the Nigeria Labor Congress [NLC]  and the Trade Unions Congress [TUC] for having a robust partnership with Government on the most desired,Civil Service Reforms policies and programmes in the State, which he said had made Bayelsa better in service.

On the continuity of verification exercises, the governor made it clear that there is still a lot to do in teaching profession whereby, according to him some have their names in the pay vouchers without going to work, yet receiving alerts and collecting monies from their bank accounts, while some are above seventy years and are still in the teaching service which cannot be compromised, by his administration assuring that in the remaining few months a lot could be achieved in that direction and urged the workers Unions to co-operate with the administration to flush out those elements.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress State Chapter, Comrade Ndiomu Dinipre John said that the Governor had done so much from inception of office on Civil Service Reforms and other achievements, hear this:
"We appreciate His Excellency, Governor Seriake Dickson and his team in the reatoration project for the programmes and policies geared toward improving the lots of Bayelsans and for the drive to improve the infrastructural base of the state..."  Appraising the successes of Labor in the State and country, Comrade Dinipre John who said that the Nigeria Labour Congress [NLC] the Trade Union Congress [TUC] and the United Labour Congress [ULC] have played key roles in the development of the nation, but was suppressed for the past 100 years, and triumphs in the struggle to the achievement of  the great feat of climbing to N30,000.00  minimum wage from a paltry sum of N18,000.00..
The Labour leader describing the occasion significant for workers highlighted areas the State Government had done well includes: " Payment of Salaries arrears,. Congress appreciate His Excellency, Governor Henry Seriake Dickson for offsetting all outstanding salary arrears owed civil servants and pensioners at the state level Congress wish to call on His Excellency to direct the L.G authorities to pay salary arrears in the Local Government and primary school sector."
The Governor also received commendation for not giving a legal backing of the "BAYELSA STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY LIFE PENSION BILL 2019' reads:
Congress wishes to commend His Excellency,Henry Seriake Dickson, the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State House of Assembly Life Pension Bill 2019. This shows that you articulate the views of Bayelsans in taking effective decision that are good for all."
This workers day, which is the last for the Dickson administration had in attendance, the Deputy Governor of the State His Excellency, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John-Jonah [Rtd], the Speaker of the State House of Assembly,Rt. Hon. Kombowei Benson, the Chief Judge, Justice Kate Abiri CON, President of the Customary Court of Appeal, Justice Daniel Ayah, and the Secretary to the State Government [Barr.] Kemela Okara, the Head of Service, Mr. Luka.. W. Obiri and other array of dignitaries including former top labour leaders.
It was a great occasion.

GOV. DICKSON FROWNS AT STATE ASSEMBLY OVER SELF ENRICHMENT PENSION BILL By Evans Tubonah

Hon. Seriake Dickson, Governor of Bayelsa State

The Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson had given a surprise pack to the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, as he refused to give assent to a controversial bill passed by the House, aimed at enriching the present and former legislators of the State.
What they titled: "FORMER  BAYELSA LEGISLATORS PENSION BILL" was passed by the Hon. Kombowei Benson led State Parliament which if the Governor signed to law, was going to serve as a conduit pipe to siphon the resources of the state to the private pockets of former Assemble members, whoever served at the Assembly as Lawmakers for whatever period they served were to collect a whopping pension, amounting to millions of Naira monthly, and billions of Naira as long as they live. The bill was however identified as obnoxious, a display of selfishness by the legislators who because of their laziness don't want to work but want to turn the coffers of Bayelsa State to their own private company from where they will feed fat for life.
In the ill-fated bill, the Lawmakers wanted a monthly pay to every former Speaker and every other Speaker whoever pass through the Bayelsa State Assembly the sum of N500,000.00 {Five Hundred Thousand Naira], every deputy Speaker, past, present and future to receive N200,000.00 [Two Hundred Thousand Naira] each and N100,000.00 [One Hundred Thousand Naira] each for every Assembly member of Bayelsa past, present and future.

Mr. Kombowei Benson
Hon. Speaker Bayelsa State House Of Assembly

Since Bayelsa was created and the  House of Assembly was inaugurated there had never been such a disquiet as the emotions raised by the controversial bill, which wore the toga of selfishness, and fraudulence. There were calls from many quarters to the attention of the Governor about the bill already passed by the House, and the dangers ahead, should the Governor append his signature to give it a legal backing.
Bayelsans raised alarm over the issue from every medium available to make their disapproval known to the State Government, the lawmakers and to the entire people of the State and the world. When the bill traveled to the Office of Governor Seriake Dickson and to his table for assent, then came the news that the bill was rejected.
It was expected that Governor Seriake Dickson who had been fighting battles against corruption in the Civil service by embarking on series of verification exercises,will not give his assent to such a useless bill.
Bayelsans are very happy with Governor Dickson for saving the state from looters, who intended to mortgage the future of the state for their personal interests.