HOW WE CURBED INHERITED CULTISM ACTIVITIES FROM PREVIOUS  GOVT.  - BARA OTOBO (S.A YOUTHS TO GOV. DICKSON)

The Special Adviser on Youths to the Bayelsa state Governor and Chairman of the Bayelsa state Volunteer, Hon. Ibarakumo Otobo has said that the administration of Governor Henry Dickson has transformed Cultists, drug addicts to peace corps members, who now serve as ambassadors of peace in their various communities, he also made some shocking revelations how his administration inherited Street gangstarism, Cultism, drug pedling, drug addicts and other ill social vices from previous administration between 2007 to 2011. According to his statement, "you all could attest that the Bayelsa of today is not that of 2008/9/10, you are all witnesses to this"

He explained that Bayelsa state was turned to a theatre of war amongst cultists during the said time, as cult clashes, street raidings and drug addiction became the order of the day.

He further said that during the aforementioned administration, only people of same fraternity groups were allowed to the corridors of power and those who wish to be part must first be initiated.

According to him, "the moment we came into power, we saw all this issues and how bad our youths has been infected with this menace. First, we introduced a denunciation programme that saw about 10, 000 cultists who denounced their participation in Cultism, this was done all in a bid to Orientate and Salvage them while 350 youths were employed as peace corps" he said.

"If we would be truthful to ourselves we all could vividly see how well this orientation has played in their lives as the evidence is clearly seen in the relative peace we enjoy, we also engaged them into profitable activities like;  skills acquisition, Education, where most them were trained and developed many skilled, scholarships were also given to many, the records are all there" he added.

Furthermore, he said that all this activities and many indulged by the government of Governor Henry Seriake Dickson, was an effort to restore relative peace in Bayelsa which we now enjoy up till date.

He went ahead to call on all youths in the state to desist from every form of violence, stating that only an environment of peace and serenity can attract development.