…. GOV DICKSON DIRECTS DEPUTY TO WORK OUT MODALITIES WITH BEREAVED FAMILIES
The Ijaw National Congress (INC), on Wednesday announced the postponement of the Ijaw Day celebration indefinitely in honour of the victims of the auto crash just as the Bayelsa State Government says, it is working out modalities for their interment.
The development was made known during a condolence visit to Governor Seriake Dickson by the INC, its youth wing, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) and the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council in Government House, Yenagoa.
Governor Dickson, who said a state memorial service would be held in honour of the accident victims, whom he described as eminent women, who played significant roles in the politics of the state, delegated his Deputy, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah to liaise with the bereaved families concerning the funeral rites of the departed.
In his words: “the Deputy Governor, representing the state government will interact with the various families to discuss the modalities on the interment and what needs to be done from our end. We are thinking of organizing some kind of state memorial service and I want to plead with all people of goodwill and our leaders to attend the service that we intend to hold in their honour before interment.
The way and manner the interment will go, will be essentially determined by the families.”
Expressing gratitude to sympathizers within and outside the state for their show of concern over the tragedy, the Governor urged all people of goodwill to support the families affected by the incident.
He said on the part of government, “we are trying to console the families of our departed sisters, mothers and wives, all of them very eminent women in their own rights who were playing very important roles in the politics of our state and particularly in their communities and families. It is a very tragic and painful loss to our people, but in the end it is also a huge personal loss to the families; spouses, children and to all their loved ones that have been left behind.
Earlier in his remarks, President of the Ijaw National Congress, Mr. Boma Obuoforibo, stated that, the date for the Ijaw Day celebration has been shifted and a new date would be announced in due course.
Also speaking, the State Chairman of the Traditional Rulers Council, King Alfred Diete Spiff expressed the condolences of the council and prayed God to grant the bereaved families, government and people of the statesuccour and fortitude to bear the losses.
Daniel Iworiso-Markson
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa State