Did Dickson Make Profit For Himself Or Bayelsa?

By Joseph Ambakederimo

Democracy in its true sense provides for a culture of checks and balances. In the case of Bayelsa State, the State House of Assembly has been constitutionally empowered to act as that check on behalf of the citizenry.

It is, however, regrettable that the House of Assembly has failed in this duty and hence, the lot has fallen on the people.

The right of the people to hold their leaders to account at any given point in time whether in or out of office is paramount. This is a critical responsibility the people have which they may not be aware of in the first instance, only but a few who do recognize this power.

In any democracy, we must hold our leaders to account and anyone who is not prepared to be held accountable should as such not enter the public space; and certainly not aspire to the highest office in the state.

This duty should in the real sense not be curtailed by friendship or be fired by foes.

This is the reason the Global Forum for Accountability and Transparency, Nigeria launched the investigation into the eight year stewardship of Henry Seriake Dickson administration in Bayelsa.

Today there are simple questions that are pertinent that need further clarification from HSD, after completion of his two terms in office as governor.

It is even more critical he explains as he begins to seek to be empowered with the public mandate of Senator.

This is because if the entire people of Bayelsa could not hold him to account, then we wonder how the people of Bayelsa West he seeks to represent can hold him to account.

We must be seen to raise the bar on good governance.

We would like to for now focus on some still unexplained issues that went on in the last eight years.

What is the true ownership of African International University, the official contract amount for the Airport project, the Bayelsa specialist Hospital, Peoples FM radio station , amongst others too numerous to mention.

For the Airport project different figures have been bandied about as to the actual cost of the project. It is remarkable that it is only in your administration in the history of Bayelsa State that the actual cost of a project as important as an airport could not be provided.

The actual amount of the completion of the Airport is unknown till date and remains a mystery and has indeed fueled much speculations.

Was the airport project and funding linked to the construction of a private real estate and the acquisition of properties outside of the country as some have alleged? We need answer to this.

Whatever, it is now generally accepted that the Bayelsa Airport has become the most expensive Airport known to mankind anywhere in the world.

We are privileged to know that a group, Concerned Patriots of Bayelsa State, petitioned the EFCC sometime in 2015 on this same airport alleging the misappropriation and criminal diversion of 12billion Naira from the 46 Billion Naira earmarked for the completion of the project.

It is also of public knowledge that the sum of 46 Billion loan facility was approved by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly especially to fund the Airport project to completion but that was never to be.

For the African International University, the Dickson administration unacceptably failed to name the partners after four years down the line.

The Bayelsa people till date do not know the true ownership of the African International University. We are watching with keen interest how it plays out going by some unambiguous clause (s) we have identified in the law establishing the University.

Recall that a red flag was raised on this same issue by an illustrious son of the state without any satisfactory response from the Government till date.

We also expect HSD to explain the relationship he has with the managers of the Bayelsa Specialist Hospital to clear ambiguities.

The Bayelsa State Government and Local Government compulsory savings law 2012, that was initiated and signed into law with much fanfare by Dickson himself was roundly violated by him.

At the time of leaving office till date the people of Bayelsa are yet to be told how much was saved for eight years and how much was left for the incoming administration.

It is indeed troubling that the Douye Diri administration has also kept mute on its inheritance of credit and liability.

Dickson’s failure to clearly disclose what he passed over to Diri inevitably brings to light that the transparency, probity and prudent management of state resources that was hyped throughout Dickson’s eight years may have been a smokescreen.

The management of the resources as a personal estate must be resisted by all people of good conscience.

It will be foolhardy on the part of the former Governor to think he could just walk away without being taken to task on his stewardship. The  eight year tenure of Dickson as Executive Governor of Bayelsa State is likened to the Chief Executive of a company and in this case the “Bayelsa people” who are the “shareholders”. We need to know whether the eight years was profitable to the shareholders “Bayelsa people” or to himself and his immediate family and cronies.

It is on this premise that we make this publication for Honorable Henry Seriake Dickson to adequately respond to the issues highlighted and many more to the good people of Bayelsa State.

The Bayelsa State Anti- Corruption Law 2010. ( THE BAYELSA STATE ANTI- CORRUPTION COMMISSION).

My Dear Honorable Henry Seriake Dickson, you gave yourself up to be hung and dried in the sun when you failed to inaugurate the Board of the Bayelsa State Anti-Corruption Commission after approving the appointment of members of the Board and even went as far as to give notice of invitation for the inauguration ceremony to the then Attorney General of the Federation and the then Chairman of the EFCC.

Why did you pull back? Our instinct tells us that you had the fear of the unknown, perhaps for the reason that this law which is not known to many Bayelsans may come back to hunt you.

The law was enacted and signed into law by your predecessor.

We have conducted our own investigations on your tenure in office, a compendium of documents are being collated for submission to the EFCC, ICPC, and the President.

To this end we seek the full cooperation of Governor Douye Diri to attend to our FoI request expeditiously whenever he sees it. Whether he chooses to or not cooperate with us would not dampen our resolve whatsoever.

Please let it be made clear that the Senate does not provide immunity from any misdemanour that may be proved against you.

Honorable Dickson, do not see this as otherwise, if at the end of the investigations you are given a clean bill of health, all well and good. We will be more excited and graciously applaud you and even consider giving you an award of excellence.

The people of Bayelsa need full disclosure on all of these allegations and many more. The books for eight years must be opened for scrutiny, we cannot just gloss over it. This is the standard operating procedure, ours cannot be different. QED!!

GLOBAL FORUM FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY, NIGERIA.

Joseph Ambakederimo,

Founder / Lead Executive Director,

+234 803 372 4546.

Abuja, 6th July, 2020.

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