The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November 16 gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State, David Lyon, has faulted Governor Seriake Dickson’s policy on education in the state.
Lyon also declared that faulty policies of the ruling administration have led to increase in school dropouts due to obnoxious hike in school fees and systematic destruction of the state-owned Niger Delta University, Amassoma.
David Lyon, who made this known at Amassoma in Southern Ijaw Area of the state during his campaign tour of the area, described the state-owned university Niger Delta University, (NDU) as a pride of the Ijaw race.
He also lamented the roof-top school fees slammed on students of the institution by the PDP-led government, noting that so many students have dropped out of NDU as a result of the high school fees.
Lyon further stated that he was deeply touched by the plight of the students of NDU and promised to pay outstanding bursary arrears and ensure the institution occupied its pride of place in his government when elected into power come November 16th.
He averred that so many prominent Ijaw sons had died in the struggle to liberate the Ijaw man from abject poverty and observed one minute silence in honour of the first Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, Late Chief Diepreye Solomon Peters Alameisegha, as well as the three youths who died while on a protest against increase of school fees and the sacking of workers of NDU.
The APC standard bearer accused the PDP government of executing innumerable cruel policies in the state, pointing out that the people of the state were faced with severe hardship and he has come to put a stop to the widespread poverty.
“Most people can no longer afford school fees for their children and wards as a result of salary deductions and non-payment of pension arrears. This situation will be normalised when my administration comes on board,” he assured.
According to him, the security challenges and the poor management of state resources have forced so many businesses to close down saying, “The problem of insecurity will require the support of the youths, women and traditional rulers to get rid of and together, we can put a stop to it.”
He also assured the people of Otuan community that victory at the polls on the 16th of November was for the people of Southern Ijaw, saying that he is one of them and feels the pains and sorrows the PDP government has inflicted on them.
Hon. Lyon, who noted that the provision of social amenities such as roads, electricity, pipe-borne water, health care facilities and good schools are clear indications of government’s presence in a community, addes that the lack of these facilities in communities in Southern Ijaw Area, was unacceptable.
