When Bayelsa State was created 16 years ago, carved out of the previous Rivers State, it became obvious from inception that the fledgling state will face great challenges on the path of attaining the growth and development that autonomy had bestowed on her.
Those who reason that states creation should be guided by certain existing and potential economic indices for sustaining the existence of that state, including the unhindered possibilities of benefitting from internally generated revenue (IGR) to complement that from the federation account, will find out that the Bayelsa State example has survived against all odds.
It needs no repeating that over the years, Bayelsa State has experienced growth and development of monumental proportions which of recent within the last twelve months, with H.E. Hon. Seriake Dickson on the driving seat, has been accelerated to embrace some promising economic initiatives that show that the Bayelsa of tomorrow is now beyond being just a dream.
The reality of this dawned on the very august gathering of Bayelsa’s bes brains, great and eminent sons and daughters of this great state, when at the inaugural board retreat that held in The CastlE , Government House, Yenagoa from 22nd – 27th April, 2013,His Excellency, the Governor, Hon.Seria ke Dickson, in a keynote address, opined that indeed Bayelsa had the world’s best economists and investment gurus ever assembled by any one state in Nigeria, brainstorming on the economic future of a state with a vision to create for our future generations an economic miracle, based on diversification beyond the ebbing oil wealth of today.
To this extent His Excellency, the Governor, as he has always done at similar occasions, drew the attention of this eminent audience to the Oloibiri oil well experience, Nigeria’s first crude oil exploration location, which today has dried up and no longer gushing out oil, emphasising that there is now, than ever before, an urgent need, in this regard, to diversify the economy of Bayelsa beyond oil.
Speaker after speaker identified the potentials of non-oil activity in the economy of Bayelsa state if the government maintains the tempo of the current enthusiasm to increase the opportunities inherent in self-development and enterprise in the state. Most of the papers presented pointedly addressed attention towards citizen participation with the government and and in that respect the dedicated contribution, collaboration in synergy with government’s efforts to stimulate the economic environment for the good and wellbeing of the people of Bayelsa State.
In identifying areas of citizen participation and collaboration with government and in addressing the challenge of poverty and youth unemployment, it was noted that much attention is needed to be focused on and agro-allied activity in the communities and other interest like the aqua tourism and related investment by government which will alleviate poverty and the pressure on job creation and youth engagement in the state.
The seriousness, with which the Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson, viewed the organisation of the inaugural board retreat of the Bayelsa Development and Investment Corporation, was clearly demonstrated by his practical involvement in the deliberations and cross cutting discussions he engaged with the members.
Prior to the keynote address he presented, and the interactive session he went further to conduct, during the retreat, a novel approach in good corporate governance, every member of the Bayelsa Development and Investment Corporation (BDIC), who sat through all the sessions with His Excellency, experienced the passion burning within the man, as he showed vividly his determination to leave behind a legacy as one of the builders of the new and modern Bayelsa State; a clear vision, a mission now embedded in the mandate of the BDIC which is vested with the task of becoming the strategic enabler of economic prosperity in the new and emerging Bayelsa State.
Even in the content of the Keynote address of the Governor every Bayelsan could see in him the drive, the energy with which he wanted to use the BDIC to create the enabling environment for inflow of investments and creating a haven for investors to thrive in the planned industrialisation of the state.
According to His Excellency, “the new Bayelsa that we all crave for, the new Bayelsa that we actually deserve, that new Bayelsa can only be founded on prosperity and security. Government is building roads and bridges, schools and so on, but in vain do we do all of this, if these activities do not translate to economic prosperity and opportunities for our people”.
The presentations and comments ranged from those made by seasoned consultants and by members of the Advisory Council and board, who gave their all in the contents of the papers, with which every listener was inspired to envision the dream of tomorrows Bayelsa, and indeed that of an emerging oil-rich state, preparing to confront the future with a diversified economy well beyond its oil wealth.
It turned out that the banking community are also determined to partner with Bayelsa State as was succinctly expressed by the articulate Group Managing Director/CEO of a prominent bank Mr Kehinde Durosinmi-Etti, who said that much in his paper, as he gave an in-depth analysis of the advantages and serial benefits of Public-Private Partnership initiatives which are capable of stimulating growth and development in Bayelsa State.
The comparative analysis by Mr Joseph Tegbe of KPMG dwelt copiously on practical case studies of publicly run organisations some which succeeded and some which failed, examining also the pitfalls and the lessons to be drawn from those instances. It was a good thing to hear and learn so that the future can be thus guided from repeating those mistakes in the planning by government for opening up the economic space and creating the enabling environment for enterprise to succeed in Bayelsa State.
While the programme lasted, the ventilation of ideas and the contribution from very successful Bayelsa born entrepreneurs like Ben Murray Bruce of the famed Silverbird Group, esteemed speakers like Mr Iheanachor of the Lagos Business School and the group of eminent members of the board, constituting the likes of Mrs Diezani-Alison-Madueke(CON);HRM King Alfred Papapriye Diete-Spiff(OFR,JP);HRM King Dr Edmund Maduuabebe Daukoru(ARSM,FIC,CON);HRM King Ebitimi Banigo (OFR) among many other prominent names coupled with the enduring presence of other well-articulated members of the Nigerian corporate and business community in the likes of HRH King Amalate Johnnie Turner,JP,the Obigbo Mikimiki 1,Obanema of Opume,Ogbia, Chief Ayakeme Masa, Hon.Commissioner for Trade and Industry and Investment,Dr Timiebi Koripamo-Agary(OON),AVM Larry Koinyan(rtd) says a lot to extoll this initiative of Governor Seriake Dickson in pooling together such an elite gathering of Bayelsans from all walks of life and of various business interests, to consolidate the reality of implementation of his restoration agenda through the BDIC.
This unique economic outreach is worthy of emulation by other states in Nigeria, since it is obvious that when eminent and successful persons of notable pedigree in the national business and economic scene are invited to contribute to their individual states, the entire country will benefit in terms of increased output and thier Gross Domestic Product(GDP) will be boosted.
It is indeed obvious too, in addition, that this memorable economic and investment dashboard as being promoted by the Bayelsa State Government , has now become the platform upon which the restoration agenda will be further hinged to stimulate and give propulsion that will take this emerging Bayelsa State to the apex of economic growth and development.
One cannot but be hopeful and encouraged that tomorrow will be good, will be prosperous, for all sons and daughters of Bayelsa State and Nigeria in general, especially that His Excellency, the Governor Hon. Seriake Dickson driving this vision, as he ably demonstrated with the practical expression of support, when he made available, an initial capital of N10bn (Ten billion Naira) to jump start the operations of the BDIC, with a view of stimulating investment and business growth in Bayelsa State.
In a few days, Governor Dickson is to lead a high powered delegation from Nigeria, to perform the official commissioning of the BDIC office in South Africa along with his South African counterpart, President Jacob Zuma.
It is hoped that through its presence the BDIC will attract partnerships with Southern African investors on a PPP (public private partnership) basis into the identified economic sectors of Bayelsa State.
And in the words of the Countryman Governor,”the BDIC’s vision is to be an enabler for transforming Bayelsa State into one of the top economies not just in our country but also in Africa. Our mission is to protect, stimulate and grow the wealth of all Bayelsans through responsive, innovative and sustainable investments while acting as a catalyst for socio-economic development of our state.” This indeed is the beginning of economic restoration for Bayelsa State, the glory of all lands.
Onoriode Akpe, is the Senior Special Assistant on Electronic Media Aide to the Governor of Bayelsa State Hon.Seriake Dickson,writes from Yenogoa)
