Seriake Dickson, senator representing Bayelsa west, says it is tough to serve with honesty in Nigeria’s public service.
Dickson spoke in Abuja on Monday while receiving a transparency in leadership award conferred on him by the Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness (CCLCA).
The lawmaker has served as commissioner for justice and attorney-general of Bayelsa when Goodluck Jonathan was the governor of the state between 2006 and 2007, member of the house of representatives representing Sagbama-Ekeremor federal constituency from 2007 to 2012, governor of Bayelsa from 2012 to 2020, and senator since 2020.
Reflecting on about 20 years in public service at state and federal levels, Dickson said he navigated an “unfavourable public service climate” with a personal creed of service to man and service to God.
“It is not easy in this country to serve with honesty within the public realm,” he said.
“In a society where everyone is often painted with the same brush. It is a tough environment to serve in a society filled with propaganda, blackmail, and misrepresentation.
The former governor said he held his head high by standing with the masses and upholding honesty, transparency and integrity despite what he described as a polluted public space.
“But despite all that, I can say from my own experience that there are honest Nigerian public officers. There are hard-working and patriotic Nigerians. They may be few, but they exist,” he said.
Dickson urged civil society groups to identify and honour honest and dedicated Nigerians across different sectors.
“I urge you to recognise and appreciate such people. They are present in all walks of life,” he said.
“If you look closely, even in institutions that are often criticised, including the judiciary, you will find honest, hard-working judges, magistrates, and justices.
The same applies to the police, which is heavily criticised. By the way, I was once a policeman myself. That is why I was firm on law and order as a governor.
“I worked to restore sanity in my state, flushed out criminals, and addressed not only crime itself but also the root causes of crime and criminality.”
