Dickson Conferred With Environmental Leadership Award By Over 20 Nigeria-Based Environmental NGOs

The Former Governor of Bayelsa State and Senator representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson has been conferred with Excellence in Environmental Leadership Award for the laudable contributions and achievements in the environmental sector.

The national lawmaker who is from a region faced with various environmental challenges, has made remarkable record in proffering solutions to environmental issues that affects the people while in office as governor, and currently as senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Excellence in Environmental Leadership Award was presented to the national lawmaker by a coalition of over twenty environmental organizations based in Nigeria, as a recognition for the lawmaker’s support, protection and preservation of the environment while in office as Governor of Bayelsa State.

Dickson made this known through his official social media handle on facebook, while commending the environmental organizations for finding him worthy for the environmental leadership award.

The statement reads: “This morning I was conferred with the Exellence in Environmental Leadership Award by a coalition of over 20 environment based NGOs in Nigeria, in recognition of my efforts in supporting, protecting and preserving the environment while I served as Governor of Bayelsa State.

“They specially mentioned my inauguration of the International Commission on the Environment chaired by Bishop John Sentamu, who after a thorough and painstaking analysis, presented the final report a few weeks ago at the House of Lords in London, at which event I sent a video message as the one who inspired and constituted the Commission of Enquiry.

“They also cited my proactiveness and passion in employing 250 graduates while I was Governor for training and then posting to the Ministry of Environment as forest protection officers to stem the irresponsible, rampant and unlawful felling of trees leading to massive deforestation in Bayelsa, in all the states of the Niger Delta and in most states in Nigeria.

“In my remarks, I thanked them for finding me worthy of this honour and pledged to continue to use all platforms available to me to advance the course of the environment, climate change and the ecology as well.

“I also mentioned as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ecology and Climate change, that I will work with all NGO’s in Nigeria and outside to support the efforts of all institutions and bodies to advance the course of the environment and particularly to join the global war against climate change, Nigeria’s response to climate change and for supporting communities affected by ecological destruction and you will see a marked difference by the time the committee swings into action.

“I call for collaboration for the protection of the environment.

“I also use the occasion of the award to call on state governments to take steps to stop the rampant felling of tress, leading to massive deforestation, which is a major cause of our increased carbon emission.

“We should be planting more trees and not cutting them where they exist.

“We intend to mobilize all stakeholders to join the national effort towards environmental friendliness and to combat global warming.

“I thank my constituents, the Chairman of Sagbama Local Government Area, Hon. Richman Ebipade Samuel, the Bayelsa West Senatorial District PDP Vice Chairman, Hon Michael Magbisa, and others who happened to be around and graced the occasion.

“I also thank my first son Pereowei Justice Seriake-Dickson who took time off his holiday internship and joined me to receive the award on behalf of the family.

“I also want to thank the press for the continuous support,” he added.