The African Union (AU) has honoured Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State with an award for the development programmes of his administration at the grassroots.

Dr Agathan Goma, Commissioner for Local Government Administration in Bayelsa, announced the award in a statement issued in Yenagoa on Thursday.

It said that Goma received the award on behalf of the governor at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Wednesday.

The statement quoted Goma as saying that the Bayelsa Government under Dickson prioritises infrastructure development, education, public health and other people oriented policies at the grassroots.

The commissioner said that the Dickson administration has an aggressive development agenda capable of propelling economic and human resource development.

She described governor Dickson’s achievements as all-encompassing, saying the full import of Dickson’s contributions would be fully appreciated long after he might have served out his tenure.

“Governor Dickson is attuned to the saying that education is the only legacy a nation can bequeath the youth.

“This is why investment in education has continued to receive unprecedented attention.

“The result of the huge investment in education is clear for all to see; a state once described as educational disadvantaged now has the best of schools.

“Bayelsa students are now coming tops in national and international examinations,” Goma said.

The commissioner assured the organisers that the honour done the governor would spur the Bayelsa Government to higher performance.

Goma explained that the three senatorial roads linking the state capital, which had remained a concept on engineers’ drawing boards for so long, had been commenced in earnest.

The roads, according to the commissioner, will open up the state to several investment possibilities.

She invited international investing community to take advantage of the seamless business environment in Bayelsa, assuring them of maximum returns on investment.

According to the statement, Goma also spoke on the theme of the AU conference; The Role of Parliament, Local and Regional Governments in Strengthening Participatory Democracy in Africa.

Goma explained that there was nexus between quality representation and development in Africa.

She said for participatory democracy to yield enduring dividends, public participation in governance must go beyond the Election Day.

“Democracy will ensure that Africans tap into the full prosperity of the continent’s huge natural and human endowments.

“There are multilayer connects between the parliament and participatory democracy. Parliamentarians, ordinarily, are on errands for their constituents.

“The corner stone of democracy and participatory government resides in the inalienable right of citizens, the common folks; to choose their representatives in parliament and indeed at all levels of government.

“In other words, government is a product of choice and the only purpose of government is to pursue and protect the interest of the electorate,” Goma said.

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