Governor of Bayelsa State,
Hon. Seriake Dickson, has asked the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), to evolve a work plan and build appropriate linkages with development partners on how best to tackle flooding and other emergencies in the state.
He also urged the Parks and Gardens Committee to intensify efforts at beautifying the state capital and its environs, in line with the government’s policy of attracting investors and tourists to the state.
A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Iworison-Markson, said Dickson spoke during the inauguration of the two agencies at the new Executive Council Chambers of Government House, Yenagoa.
The governor emphasised the need for them to be proactive in the discharge of their responsibilities.
According to him, his administration has succeeded in building several state-of-the-art infrastructures, ranging from roads, hospitals and other public structure in the last 5 years, but pointed out that, the maintenance of the facilities was key for them to stand the test of time.
Dickson, who directed the parastatals to work closely with the Ministry of Environment, specifically charged the emergency management agency to work out modalities for the training of youth across the 8 local government areas on how to tackle environmental challenges, such as flooding and other disasters.
While recalling the 2012 experience in which the entire state was almost submerged by the flood, the governor urged the agency not to focus only on how to mitigate the effects of flooding, but also arm its prospective trainees with fire fighting skills.
Dickson, who promised to build more functional fire stations in the state, charged the newly inaugurated agencies to be in the vanguard of sensitising the people on the need to develop an environmentally friendly attitude, as part of efforts to promote maintenance culture in the state.
According to the governor, his administration will soon come up with a comprehensive tourism development policy, which he noted, will encourage the celebration of world class monthly and annual events to boost the state’s revenue base and the Ijaw culture.
In their separate remarks, the Chairman of the State Emergency Management Agency, Major Zedekiah Izu (Rtd) and his Parks and Garden’s counterpart, Mrs Roseline Endeley-Princewill, lauded Dickson for his vision of transforming the state with all the trappings of modernity and pledged their commitment to their assignments.
Members of the State Emergency Management Agency are, Mr George Oru, Bishop Oweibo, Godbless Fetonbofa, Ayi Aziowei, Ikpeama Ebiowei and Moses Alfred with Angus Doode to serve as secretary.
While the Parks and Gardens Committee has Mrs Evelyn Fyneman Wilson, Felicia Okoroakpor, Etoza Owede, Florence Jonathan, Amaebi Williams, Patience Ikiriko, Esther Yeibe and Amaebi Afore.