GOVT ASSURES BAYELSANS ON MAINTENANCE OF PEACE

MAY 21, 2013

Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah(rtd), has assured Bayelsans that the current administration in the state was determined to maintain peace and order throughout the State, no matter what it takes to do so.

The deputy governor said this while receiving, on behalf of Governor Seriake Dickson, a report submitted by the Judicial Commission of Inquiry, set up early this year on the Agbere communal crisis.

While commending members of the commission for a job well done, he equally assured them that Government will diligently study the report and take appropriate actions to forestall a reoccurrence of such ugly incidents in the future in the State.

Earlier, the chairman of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry on the Agbere crisis, Justice Ebiyerin Umukoro, said that the Commission was constituted by Governor Dickson in January 2013, following the crisis that erupted in Agbere Community in Sagbama Local Government Area of the State.

According to him, the Commission in the course of its assignment, took evidence from 19 witnesses during its sittings in Yenagoa and further took evidence from 31 witnesses at its sittings at Agbere and also hired the services of a competent professional Quantity Surveyor to properly assess and evaluate property damaged as a result of the crisis.

He also noted that the Commission, while carrying out its work, was neither influenced by pecuniary nor consanguine factors as its findings and recommendations were based essentially on an objective analysis of the evidence canvassed by the various interest groups that appeared before it.

In attendance, during the presentation of the report, were the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Edmond Allison-Oguru, Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Markson Fefegha, his Bayelsa West and Central Senatorial District Counterparts, Messrs James Agari, and William Alamene as well as Senior Special Assistant on Ijaw National Affairs, Chief Erasmus Patrick.