Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has inaugurated a 41-member transition committee in readiness for a smooth take-over of the incoming administration.
The committee, which has the Secretary to the State Government, Kemela Okara, as chairman; Talford Ongolo, deputy chairman and Luka Obiri, secretary, is the first of its kind in the political annals of the state.
Other members of the committee, including all serving commissioner, five permanent secretaries and political appointees, were inaugurated at the governor’s conference room, Government House, Yenagoa.
His Chief Press secretary, Fidelis Soriwei, in a statement, said the constitution of the transition committee was in line with the 1999 Constitution.
Dickson, who insisted that the governorship election purportedly won by All Progressives Congress was a charade, noted that irrespective of the outcome of the several initiatives being taken by People’s Democratic Party, there was still need for a proper handover process to be initiated.
He said: “Knowing that what transpired is not an election, we have to set up a transition committee. The first time in democratic rule and I thank God for the grace for making this possible for eight years and with a lot of achievements.”
He said the purpose of the committee is to articulate record and document all the policies, programmes, projects and achievements of the Restoration administration in all sectors in almost eight years.
“The purpose is to articulate and record all that we have achieved and done in all sectors as a state and that’s why all commissioners are part of this committee to enable you present a scorecard of all our policies and programmes both completed and ongoing projects,” he said.
He said the achievements of his government would be a testimony and Bayelsans are assured of continually enjoying the dividends of democracy.
