From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has called on citizens to support and participate in humanitarian services to actualise developmental aspirations.
Jonathan, who spoke at the 10th anniversary of the Goldcoast Developmental Foundation (GDF) held at the Harold Dappa Biriye Conference Centre, Golden Tulip Resort, Onopa, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, said humanitarian services would make the people contribute meaningfully to the growth of the society.
The former President, who was represented by a former military governor and Amayanabo of Twon-Brass Kingdom, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, lauded the GDF initiated by Mr Moses Oruaze Dickson, a younger brother to immediate past Governor of Bayelsa state Sen. Henry Seriake Dickson.
He described the achievements of the foundation in 10 years as remarkable and commended the founders, partners and management of GDF for their selfless service to humanity.
Jonathan noted that the foundation’s interventions in health, education and strategic youth development were worthy of recommendations and emulation.
“Your impact in your focus areas of health, education and strategic youth development are worthy of recommendation. I encouraged you to continue in this worthy venture of service to humanity.
“The initiative like the Goldcoast Developmental Foundation, which plays a contributory role to government in providing various service are needed more than ever to meet our developmental aspiration.
“This is why we call on the well meaning citizens to support and participate in humanitarian services in different spheres.
In his remarks, the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, who was represented by the Commissioner for Information, Ayibana Duba, called on people to emulate the virtues of the foundation’s founder, Mr Dickson.
Also, former governor Dickson and Senator representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District explained that the Goldcoast foundation was purely the brain child of his younger brother, Moses Oruaze Dickson.
He commended the humanitarian and selfless services of the foundation during the recent flood and thanked Oruaze for sustaining the initiative in the past 10 years.
Earlier, the founder of GDF, Moses Oruaze Dickson, in his remark said that the foundation is celebrating 10th anniversary of impacting lives with the theme, “Service to Humanity, Touching One Life at a Time”.
He explained that the initiative was designed to meet the needs of the people in key areas such as health, education and strategic youth development.
Oruaze said the foundation had been able to touch the lives of about 8000 persons across various age groups within the Niger Delta.
He said: “About 3,798 were women 1,974 were men and the rest of them were children. And by the grace of God within that same period, we carried out a total of 31 projects and the last one we did was that of setting up a temporary shelter to cater for nursing mothers that formed the bulk of most vulnerable group of persons that was affected by the flood. Most of these people do not have anywhere to go to.
L to R: King Bubaraye Dakolo, Chairman, Bayelsa Traditional Rulers Council, Mr Moses Dickson, founder Goldcoast Development Foundation; King Alfred Diette-Spiff, rep fmr President Goodluck Jonathan; Sen. Seriake Dickson; Ms Brenda Izu, Cordinator GDF and Rt. Hon. Michael Ogbere, Deputy Speaker Bayelsa Assembly at the 10th anniversary of GDF in Yenagoa.