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Bayelsa Governor, Seriake Dickson, yesterday, said his administration’s investments in education has drastically reduce militancy and insecurity in the state.
The governor said education will continue to assume top priority in the state, stressing that, his Restoration Government has so far invested N70 billion on education in the last six years.
Dickson spoke during a courtesy visit by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai to Government House, Yenagoa, to kick start the ground-breaking and foundation laying ceremony of the 16 Brigade Barracks of the Nigeria Army in Yenagoa.
He said: “We fight insecurity in vain if we don’t first educate our people, particularly our youths to be empowered enough to reason beyond their nose, to properly know and situate the evil of crime, criminality and insecurity in the society.
“That is why, in Bayelsa, we deliberately democratise knowledge by sponsoring many Bayelsans and Ijaws outside the state, by building world-class educational infrastructure, more and more schools across the state and making education free and compulsory, with boarding facilities, because we know, our efforts at tackling insurgency, militancy and other security challenges in the country will not make much impact without addressing illiteracy, which we believe is their root cause.”
The governor, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Francis Agbo, also called for more collaboration between the state government and Nigeria Army on security.
He commended Buratai for the establishment of 16 Brigade as well as the collaborative efforts of the Nigerian Engineering Corps at the Agge Deep Sea port, which he noted, would enhance security and investments.
In his remarks, Buratai commended Dickson for his giant strides in the development of the state, particularly in security, education and infrastructure.
Buratai also lauded the governor for providing the enabling environment for security agencies to operate, assuring the state government of his continued support to ensure that Bayelsa continues to remain one of the safest states in the country.
“I congratulate you on your giant strides in the development of Bayelsa. You have done a lot in the area of supporting security agencies, making Bayelsa one of the safest in the country and infrastructure development, especially your new Government House complex, where we are having this courtesy visit,” he said.
