Dickson signs Appropriation, Child Rights Bills…commends State Assembly
Taiwo Owoeye
Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson has signed the 2016 Appropriation and the Child Rights Bills into law.
While assenting to the bills in Government House, Yenagoa, Governor Dickson expressed the hope that the country’s economic situation would improve to enable the government make projections in its budgeting provisions.
Dickson, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, commended workers in the state for their patience and understanding over the non-payment of salaries, noting that, the government has been meeting with labour leaders on the way forward to resolving the problem.
Dickson expressed delight that the new Child Rights Bill would offer protection for children of the state, stressing that, anyone caught violating the rights of children would be prosecuted according to the provisions of the law.
He commended the leadership of the State House of Assembly for their hard work in considering the bill as well as the enforcement component embedded in the document and expressed the hope that with the law in place, the rate of child abuse would be minimized.
Presenting the bills to Governor Dickson, Speaker of the State Assembly, Mr. Konbowei Benson, explained that, the Child Rights Bill was sent to the house on the 2nd of March this year and was passed on April 28.
He explained that the Child Rights Bill had earlier been presented to the State Assembly twice in 2004 and 2007 but, was not signed into law before Governor Dickson assumed office in 2012.