Gov. Dickson constitutes Burial Committee for late Alamieyeseigha

Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has constituted a burial planning committee for the late first civilian governor of the state, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who died, penultimate Saturday, at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH).

The committee, according to a statement, Wednesday, by Dickson’s Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, will be chaired by Deputy Governor of the state, John Jonah, with the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Konbowei Benson, as vice chairman, and the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Edmund Alison-Oguru, to serve as secretary.

The Burial Planning Committee was one of the fallouts of the State Executive Council emergency meeting which held, Wednesday, at Government House, Yenagoa, the state capital.

Other members of the committee include Senator Foster Ogola, Henry Ofongo of the House of Representatives, Commissioners for Information and Orientation, Health, Infrastructure and Culture and Ijaw National Affairs, Esueme Dan-Kikile, Ayebatonye Owei, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo and Felix Tuodolo.

Chief of Staff at the Government House, Yenagoa, Talford Ongolo, and the Principal Executive Secretary (PES) to the governor, Markson Fefegha, are also members of the burial committee.

The State chairman, secretary, women and youth leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),  representatives of the Alamieyeseigha Family, the Ijaw National Congress (INC) the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Alamieyeseigha’s former political adviser, Thompson Okorotie,  former SSG Steve Azaiki and the Chief Historian and Archivist of the state, have all been included in the committee.

“The government will stand shoulder to shoulder with the family to give him a heroic burial. The burden he has left behind is heavy but we can see the unity of purpose by the family and the people.

“We‘ve lost the greatest, biggest supporter and leader, as only God can comfort us. Alamieyeseigha spoke up when necessary and stood up for the Ijaw course. It’s only God who can comfort his family.

“We are grieving, but we owe him a befitting burial. It is a painful incident and difficult times for the family, the state and Ijaw nation. He was a leader to all of us and we are all going to miss him,” the governor said, who also paid a condolence visit to the Alamieyeseigha  family at Opolo, in Yenagoa and Port Harcourt, Rivers State residences, where he remarked that ‘the people were proud of his life and the legacies he left behind.’