Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has inaugurated a 41-member transition committee in readiness for a smooth takeover of the incoming administration, saying it is in line with the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Secretary to the State Government, Kemela Okara is the chairman; Chief of Staff, Government House, Talford Ongolo is the deputy chairman, while Luka Obiri is the secretary.
The committee, comprising all serving commissioners, five permanent secretaries and political appointees, was inaugurated on Tuesday at the Governor’s Conference Room, Government House, Yenagoa.
Dickson described the All Progressives Congress (APC) victory in the just concluded governorship election as a charade and explained that irrespective of the outcome of the several initiatives being taken by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), there was still need for a proper handover process to be initiated.
His words: “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 and enablement for making this possible for eight years and with a lot of achievements”.
Read also: Bayelsa guber: More defections to hit PDP
The governor charged the committee to articulate, record and document all the policies, programmes, projects and achievements of the ‘Restoration Administration’ in all sectors in almost eight years.
He said the outcome of the committee’s work would be handed over in various forms to the in-coming government, stressing that the achievements of his government would be a testimony as Bayelsans were assured of continuing to enjoy the dividends of democracy.
Dickson thanked members of the committee for their diligence, sacrifice and the manner they served in his administration and told the chairman of the committee that the purpose of the committee was to prepare ground for smooth takeover of the incoming administration.
Chairman of the committee, Kemela Okara said that the assignment was a major one as it cuts across all sectors, but assured that it would be completed before the end of the year, adding that they would produce a thorough and standard report for other states to emulate.
Meanwhile, Dickson has approved the appointment of 32 new permanent secretaries who would be sworn in on Friday.
