Gov Dickson blasts Buhari’s minister over comment on Bayelsa debt profile
described the recent claim by the Minister of State for Agriculture,
Mr. Heineken Lokpobiri, that the state government owes N800 billion,
as "pathetic and manifestation of a mind in custody of a raving
hallucination".
Dickson said in a statement on Wednesday, that Lokpobiri's claim only
portrayed his depth of ignorance about governance in the state.
The statement which was made available to newsmen by his Special
Adviser on Media Relations, Mr. FIdelis Soriwei, said the Governor
expressed shock that somebody of the status of a minister could show a
demeaning lack of capacity for a simple research to arrive at the
truth in the interest of the general good.
The governor described the minister's claim as a manifestation of the
peaking frustration of a diaspora politician who has alienated himself
from the state and lacks the capacity to actualize his political dream
to govern the state.
The governor urged Bayelsans and indeed the Nigerian citizenry to
discountenance the spurious claim contained in the ill-conceived
publication by the minister which he said was in conflict with facts
and reality.
He referred the minister to a report released by the Debt Management
Office in September 2018, which provided in details the debt profile
of all the states of the federation as of June 2018.
He stressed that the DMO, the Federal Agency which is the
authoritative body on States and Federal government debt profile put
the total debts owed by Bayelsa state at N123 billion.
The Governor said that his administration had even ensured repayment
of debts incurred by Lokpobiri's political godfather and leader, Chief
Timipre Sylva, in addition to the steady execution of several big
ticket projects across Bayelsa.
He said that somebody with an analytical mind would know from the
reports of the DMO that Bayelsa debt as at 2007 was N27 billion
representing 1.40 percent of the debts by all the state.
He posited that the debt profile of the state rose astronomically by
300 percent as the state alone had 13.0 percent of the total state
debts with N162 billion from 2007 to 2012 during the locust years of
Sylva.
According to him, the current figure of N123 billion representing 3.54
percent of the total debts owed by the states showed in clear terms a
drastic reduction of the debt burden in spite of the recession
occasioned by dwindling federal allocation and the execution of high
profile projects in the state.
The Governor challenged Lokpobiri to channel his energy into more
productive ventures in the interest of Bayelsans who have been denied
federal presence because of his lack of influence and interest in the
development of his state.
"Lokobiri's claim that Bayelsa is owing N800 billion is a falsehood
that exists in his hallucinating mind. Figures released by the DMO put
Bayelsa's debt at N123 billion.
"These figures include contractual obligations, pension and
gratuities, as the major components.
"The Governor wishes to say without equivocation that Bayelsa is not
for bloodthirsty cultists and criminal. Lies and bloodletting which
are the strongest credential of Lokpobiri cannot create access to
political control in our state.
"Lokpobiri has failed to take advantage of his position and supposed
contacts in Abuja to attract projects to Bayelsa. He should remain
silent as he lacks the moral ground to make any comment on the
development of Bayelsa", the statement added.
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