Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson has been honoured with the ‘Good Governance in Africa’ award by the Centre for Economic and Leadership Development.
The award was given in recognition of his efforts at promoting good governance and accountability in the last six years.
The centre is a non-governmental organisation, in a special consultative status with the United Nations.
The award was presented to Governor Dickson at the 78th session of the state executive council meeting by the Commissioner for Local Government Administration, Mrs. Agatha Goma.
According to the Centre for Economic and Leadership Development, the prestigious award was conferred on the governor during the International Conference on Democracy and Good Governance in Africa, which took place last month in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The centre further stated that by virtue of the award, Governor Dickson had become the first governor in Africa to be so honoured.
The award, it said, was before now, conferred only on Heads of State.
In his opening remarks at the meeting, Governor Dickson expressed his administration’s commitment to focus on delivering his restoration agenda, especially in the areas of security and infrastructural development, towards improving the living conditions of Bayelsans.
While appreciating the Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (retd) and the restoration team for steering the ship of state during his vacation, the governor canvassed for support from the people, urging them to desist from acts that could destabilise the state.
Briefing newsmen shortly after the meeting, the Commissioner for Information, Hon. Jonathan Obuebite, alongside his Education counterpart, Hon. Markson Fefegha, said the on-going projects in their various ministries would be completed and commissioned.
Obuebite also noted that the government had decided to embark on the commissioning of projects between September and December as well as embark on the completion of more ongoing projects for commissioning by January of next year.
To this end, he said the government would release funds to the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for the completion of the projects, as well as set up a committee to be headed by the Deputy Governor to collaborate with the MDAs, towards facilitating the completion of the projects.
Also, the Commissioner for Education, Hon. Markson Fefegha, said the council resolved to institute the Governor’s Excellence Awards in essay writing competitions, Mathematics, Sciences and Sporting activities, as part of efforts in sustaining achievements in the education sector.
According to him, necessary legal framework would be put in place to back the various awards, which would not be tied to any particular governor.
He pointed out that they would remain part of the efforts at promoting educational excellence beyond the lifespan of the restoration administration in the state.
