Lawmaker Accuses Bayelsa Elders Of Greed

A member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Hon, Jonathan Ogbuebite, has accused some elders in the state of greediness and demanding from the state government a monthly allowance of five million naira each as a reward for championing the creation of the state in 1996.

Mr Ogbuebite, representing Nembe Constituency One and also the Chief  Whip in the House also alleged that some of the elders are contractors who refused to executive developmental projects awarded to them in the past.

Disclosing this at the Inaugural Annual Public lecture organized by the Federated Correspondents Chapel, an arm of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Bayelsa State Council, the Chief Whip  said a letter to this effect has been forwarded to the Assembly.

Seeking for the enactment of law to this effect, the affected elders, according to the lawmaker demanded that same gesture should be extended to their children after their demise.

Hon. Ogbuebite disclosed that over 90 per cent of the elders making this demands reside outside the state, but wanted to benefit from the state without contributing their own quota as expected of them.

Apart from residing outside the state, the lawmaker said that over 60 per cent of them were beneficiaries of the contract awarded to indigenous contractors at the inception of the present administration but it was sadden to note that most of these contracts were abandoned.

He said rather thinking of what would I benefit from government, we should all be ready to make useful contribution to the growth of the society.

His words, ‘let’s think of what we contribute to the government not only what the government will do for us.”

Earlier, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, Ambassador Emmanuel Otiotio, stressed the need for transformational leadership as against the transactional leadership being practiced by some African nations.

Making reference to the style of leadership of the former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, Otiotio described his style of leadership as not only acceptable but transformational.

Most Africa leaders are like Biblical Esau who imbibed the culture of kill and eat without making provision for tomorrow; the Special Adviser stressed the need for the people at the helm of affairs to create opportunities that would transform their respective societies.

His words, “election will come and go, but we need to build institutions that will lead to the transformation of the society. We don’t need that hunter mentality that we go to people at night because of election.”

Also speaking, the Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Hon. Magnus Abe said, ‘as leaders we have seen the gains of democracy, there is need for us to reduce the pains on the part of the people will governed. The more the people benefit from the gains, the more the success of democracy.

On security, he said government was spending so much in securing the lives of political appointees, adding that this should be reduced by licensing private security outfit, and as well making beneficiaries to pay for it.

In his address, the Chairman of the Federated Correspondents Chapel, Kola Oredipe said journalists in the state were committed to adding value to the system by making useful contribution to nation building.

His words, the contribution of the media to the enthronement of democracy in the Country is no doubt commendable and this fact had been acknowledged by various stakeholders in the Country.