Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson (R), presents a special plaque to the Chairperson, Executive Committee, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), Africa Region, Hon. Lindiwe Michelle Maseko, at a State Banquet in honour of participants for the 74th CPA, Africa Region, Executive Committee Meeting, in Yenagoa.
Photo by Reginald Dei
Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson (L), presents a special plaque to the visiting Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, at a State Dinner in honour of participants for the 74th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (Africa Region), Executive Committee Meeting, holding in Yenagoa.
Photo by Reginald Dei.
Bayelsa State Governor, Honorable Seriake Dickson, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu have called on African member nations of the Commonwealth to close ranks, with a view to achieving sustainable peace, stability and development.
Speaking on Saturday at the opening session of the 74th executive council meeting of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, CPA, Africa Region, in Yenagoa, the trio stressed the need for African nations to enter into mutually beneficial partnerships that will promote investments and
prosperity.
According to a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Francis Ottah-Agbo, Honourable Dickson also urged Commonwealth members in the African region to do business amongst themselves, as well as encourage each other in tackling their developmental challenges.
While thanking the leadership of CPA for accepting to host its meeting Yenagoa, he restated his call on parliamentarians to continue to defend democracy and the rule of law in Africa.
Responding to a motion moved by Senator Ike Ekweremadu for the establishment of a CPA liaison office in Yenagoa, Governor Dickson noted that, the government made the offer in good faith, with the aim of promoting the activities of the organization.
His words, “I want to thank you for accepting the Speakers invitation to host this particular Executive Committee Meeting here in Bayelsa State. Parliamentary democracy is all about consultation, it’s all about building capacity and consensus. Our offer has been made in good faith and I believe it is going to be a win-win situation”
“If you have a liaison office in a state that understands the role of parliaments and the importance of the CPA and the cross-fertilisation of ideas, I think it will be ultimately to the advantage of the organization itself, after all, you have most of your members from Nigeria.
“Let us as Africans do more businesses among ourselves; create jobs and develop skills for our people. We can not continue to look up to former colonial masters and others to do that for us. And these are some of the good things that you in the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association can do”
In his remarks, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt, Hon. Yakubu Dogara underscored the importance of the CPA, noting that, the organization has over the years, provided a robust platform for deepening parliamentary practices and conventions of member nations.
Dogara, who was represented by a member of the House Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Matters, Honourable Samuel Ikon urged legislators to intensify their effort at holding governments accountable to enable their people get better dividends of democracy.
According to him, “It is our role to ensure that our primary role of law-making, appropriation and oversight are strengthened as they deepen our democracy and ensures that we hold our governments accountable.
And once we hold our governments accountable, it will lead to ensuring that our people get the benefits of democracy”
On his part, Senator Ekweremadu emphasized the need for African member nations to renegotiate the terms of their membership of the Commonwealth to enable them have a better deal by entering into new partnerships that will promote justice and equity.
“We are going to see a new era and the CPA Africa Region should be prepared for this new era. The new era is coming because of the Brexit. Britain has left Europe and they are going to look for new friends and sign new partnership agreements. So as we go into this new era of commonwealth, Africa must be ready to put on their thinking cap for better negotiations and for better deals”
“If we say we have a commonwealth, is it Commonwealth of Nations or Commonwealth of People? I think what we need is a Commonwealth of People where everybody will have a sense of belonging to such a super-national organization, where a Nigerian or somebody from Ghana, South Africa, Kenya and so on, can go to the United Kingdom without a visa”
In their separate remarks, the President of CPA, Africa Region, Right Hon. Gladys Kokorwe and the Chairperson, Executive Committee, Hon. Lindiwe Maseko, commended Governor Dickson for his gender-friendly policies and for providing the enabling environment for the meeting, which they described as the best in terms of organization.
While urging the governor to do more in the area of women representation, they however, condemned in strong terms, the recent abduction of school girls in Dapchi, Yobe State by insurgents and called on the federal government, the African Union, the United Nations and other international bodies to intensify efforts at ensuring their release.
Earlier in his welcome address, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Konbowei Benson, also highlighted the significance of the CPA, pointing out that, through the organization, legislators have developed their capacity in different areas.
He attributed the prevailing cordial working relationship among the three arms of government in the state to Governor Dickson’s love and passion to develop the state, adding that, Bayelsa has been chosen to host the next (50th) CPA meeting in 2019.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu over the weekend described Governor Dickson as a beacon of hope for a new Nigeria. Senator Ekweremadu gave kudos to the Governor during the commissioning of the House Officers and Interns Quarters, for the Federal Medical Centre, in Yenagoa.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Francis Ottah Agbo, said the Deputy Senate President was highly impressed with Governor Dickson administration’s contributions towards deepening democratic principles not only at the state but also at the national level.
Senator Ekweremadu who lamented that, the country’s democracy was being threatened, attributed the development to the conduct of some political leaders.
He saluted Governor Dickson’s courage for defending and promoting democracy, describing him as a man whom God has brought to make positive impact on the lives of the people.
Senator Ekweremadu said he was proud of Governor Dickson’s outstanding achievements in the health sector, with the state-of-the-art health facilities put in place to check infant and maternal mortality rate.
His words: “Let me start by saying that, God is using this man mightily in this state. The bible tells us that when the righteous is in power, the people rejoice. They rejoice n the righteous man ensures justice for all. The righteous man will ensure that if there is food on his table, there is food on the table of everyone else.
“He also ensures that, if he is healthy, he also ensures that those he is leading will also be healthy. He is fair to all concerned and that’s why you people rejoice when the righteous is in power.
“Today, I feel happy, satisfied and encouraged. A few days ago, the Senate took the whole day to debate about the worsening situation of our democracy because of the conduct of some of our political leaders. And we got worried that our democracy is being endangered not just by our statements but also by our actions.
“But today, we are here and we see a man making strong statements for democracy. So go forth from here and tell the world that democracy is working in Bayelsa State. Action they say, speaks louder words. I am happy to be associated with you both at the professional level and in this generation of politicians.
“I want to congratulate our women. Last week, we spoke about infant and maternal mortality rate in Nigeria, we also spoke about life expectancy. So when you invest in the health sector, you are going to address that and the statistics will reduce; that’s what will happen in Bayelsa.
“When I listened to the Commissioner for Health and the Chief Medical Director and yourself, I almost shed tears of joy because you represent the face of that hope in our country. So my dear people of Africa, as you return to your various countries, remember to mention that you met a man who is defending and promoting democracy in action.
“Bayelsa may seem to be geographically disadvantaged, in Nigeria but Governor Dickson is changing the narrative by opening Bayelsa to the world. Sometimes God raises a man to be the David or Moses of his time and I think God has decided to use you to change the narratives for the people of Bayelsa State.
“So your place in history is already assured, keep up the good work and be fair to all concerned. Continue in this trajectory and at the end of the day, history will vindicate you.”
In his remarks, Governor Seriake Dickson assured that Bayelsa would be a pacesetter in medical tourism, noting that government would continually upgrade its health infrastructure to meet the medical needs of the people.
According to him, the state government is taking healthcare delivery to a whole new level and urged the the private sector to key into government’s policies and programmes particularly, the health insurance scheme.
“We are taking our health care delivery to the grassroots. I encourage all especially corporate organizations to be part of our health insurance programme.”
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Ebitimitula Etebu said the Doctors Quarters contains 60 suites that would accommodate 120 health personnel.
The Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Dr. Dennis Allagoa, described the medical quarters as a miracle and the largest in the South-South zone of the country. He said the project was conceived 18 years ago but was made a reality by the present administration.
Dr. Allagoa who noted that Governor Dickson’s name would remain indelible in the medical history of the state, however urged government to ensure the completion of the parking lot and adjoining road to the hospital.
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