GOV. DICKSON SWEARS-IN NEW COMMISSIONER: CALLS FOR TEAMWORK, DEDICATION AMONG POLITICAL APPOINTEES

GOV. DICKSON SWEARS-IN NEW COMMISSIONER: CALLS FOR TEAMWORK, DEDICATION AMONG POLITICAL APPOINTEES
Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson has sworn-in a new commissioner for Science, Technology and Manpower Development, with a call on members of the State executive council and political appointees to be good team players as well as render quality service to the government and people of the State.

 The new commissi  oner, Mr. Parkinson Macmanuel, was until his new position, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Secondary Education and replaces Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, who has since been deployed to Government House as Chief of Staff. 

The Governor also urged political appointees not to engage in unnecessary bickering and acts that are capable of distracting Government’s attention in its desire to fully deliver on its restoration agenda to the people.  

While, expressing confidence in the ability of Mr. Parkinson Macmanuel to deliver on his mandate, the Governor noted that there are still a lot of challenges ahead within government generally and the ministry of Science Technology and Manpower Development and called on him to rise up to the challenge. “You are joining us at a time the restoration train has moved for about a year and half.  A lot is happening but a lot still lies to be unfolded.  

As you have joined us, we expect the highest possible loyalty, hard work and selfless dedication to the assignments, formal and informal that will be assigned to you”. 

Hon. Dickson further urged him to urgently liaise with the former commissioner in charge of the Ministry and the Permanent Secretary for adequate briefings to enable him swing into action as well as unfold the various programmes designed to better the lot of Bayelsans. “You are assigned to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Manpower Development, and in this ministry you have your hands full because we have enormous problems when it comes to job creation, youth management and so on and also encouraging science application in all spheres of our lives”. 

“Like, I said some work has been done, there’s an ambitious programme of empowerment to be unfolded so I expect you to work, get briefings from your permanent secretary and chief of staff and others who are involved. So in no distant time, our people whether they are women will get empowerment, whether the youth, special empowerment scheme so all this programme will have input from your ministry” 

He also reminded all appointees to be focused on the task of developing the State in the meantime, instead of dissipating their energies on politicking as it was not yet time for politics, he remarked. “For us, this is no time for politics, so Hon. Commissioner this is no time for you to play politics.  You are not appointed to play politics.

The only politics appointees should play for now is to mobilize support and offer prayers for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who is our leader”. He also used the opportunity to call on the political class in the State to desist from politics of blackmail, propaganda and name dropping, noting that when it is time for politics, the restoration government will not hesitate to play its part to a logical conclusion, describing its members as “tested commanders”, who have succeeded in politics without violence. 

 Daniel Iworiso-Markson
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa State 
18/07/ 2013