Fear grips buyers of govt houses in Bayelsa

Posted by admin Bayelsa, State News Friday, April 27th, 2012

Fear has gripped former government appointees and public officials on governor Timipre Sylva’s administration over possible revocation of government houses sold during the administraion’s tenure.

The Opolo Housing Estate, accommodating members of the State Executive Council (SEC), justices of the state judiciary and top government officials was sold to the occupants of the houses. Also, the Azikoro House of Assembly quarters was sold to lawmakers.

The Sylva government, before it was sacked by the Supreme Court, had almost completed the buildings of new commissioners and House of Assembly members quarters but Bayelsans had expressed displeasure with the indiscriminate way the houses were sold and the lack of accountability on the proceeds.

Checks indicated that the pronouncement by Governor Henry Seriake Dickson during his interaction with journalists on the sale of houses was already causing panic as there were fears that the sale of the houses could be revoked once it had been established that the sale was not backed by the law.

Dickson, answering questions on the sale of the houses and the anger it provoked from Bayelsans, said the SEC would take a decision on it. While noting that he would not endorse the policy, he added that under his administration no house built with public funds would be sold. He assured that his government would take decisions no matter how tough, which would be in the interest of Bayelsans.

His words: “On the sale of houses and revocation of sales, what I can say is that a policy would be adopted and the decision of the SEC would be communicated once we have looked at it thoroughly. But believe me, we would take decisions that are right however tough those decisions may be. What is right for our people must be done. That is all I can say. We would take all advice in this issue.

“I have my views on this but that I am governor does not mean my views should be state policy; that is the type of thing we are running away from.”

-Sunwp_posts