THE Senate has the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency, retain the name, Harold Dappa Biriye House in the New Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC permanent headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State
The Senate urged the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha and the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio to immediately direct and ensure the retention of Harold Dappa Biriye House in the NDDC permanent headquarters.
The resolution of the Senate yesterday was a sequel to a motion titled, “Need to retain the name Harold Dappa Biriye House in the New Head Office of the NDDC.” It was sponsored by Senator Seriake Dickson, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Bayelsa West.
Presenting the motion, Senator Dickson said that “The Senate: Notes that the late Harold Dappa Biriye coordinated the activities of the Rivers Conference of Chiefs and people’s conference and participated in the pre-independence conferences in Nigeria and abroad, particularly the 1957/58 constitutional conference leading to the appointment of the Willinks commission;
‘Notes that he later formed and led the Niger Delta Congress (NDC), a political party of the Niger Delta on which platform Chief Melford Okilo was elected as the first parliamentarian and subsequently a parliamentary secretary;
“Observes that his party the NDC was in alliance with the NPC and he collaborated with his contemporaries, his friends and allies like Sir Tafawa Balewa, the first Prime Minister, Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Ahmadu Bello in the Pre-independence struggles.”
He said further that the Senate, “Notes that the Late Harold Dappa Biriye all through his adult life until his death at a ripe old age fought for the Niger Delta people and all Nigerians and was a quintessential Nigerian who lived a good life-promoting national unity, understanding and cohesion;
“Aware that he collaborated with other leaders of Nigeria and the Head of State at the time, General Yakubu Gowon in managing the issues and agitations of the Niger Delta leading to the creation of Rivers State and also negotiated the release and pardon of Isaac Adaka Boro who later joined the Nigerian army and died fighting for Nigeria;
“Notes that he served as an adviser in the cabinet of the new Diete Spiff administration to stabilise the new government following the creation of Rivers State until the return to politics. He collaborated with General Gowon, General Murtala Mohammed and all leaders and heads of state including General Obasanjo at the return of democracy;
“Notes also that Until his death, Harold Dappa Biriye was the founding Chairman of the board of trustees of the Ijaw National Congress and was deputized by Pa E.K. Clark who took over after his death.;
“Aware that through Henry Willink’s Commission of 1957, which he fought for and pushed, informed the establishment of the Niger Delta Basin Development which later was replicated in other regions in the country;
“Notes that he offered advice to President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration on how to restore peace to the Niger Delta region and was, therefore, one of the leaders that facilitated the establishment of the NDDC;
“Notes that following the establishment of the NDCC, the Federal Government and the management of the NDDC with the support of the Rivers State Government led by Sir Dr Peter Odili, who himself was one of the several political protégés of Harold Dappa Biriye decided to name the NDDC temporary Headquarter donated by the Rivers State Government, after him, as a mark of recognition for his services to the Niger Delta people and Nigeria at large;
“Observes that the NDDC after over 20 years of existence has commissioned its permanent headquarters last year but observes with dismay that while the NDDC has commissioned and moved its personnel and activities into its permanent headquarters which is commendable, it has refused, neglected or failed to transfer the name Harold Dappa Biriye House to adorn its permanent Headquarters as should have been done even before the commissioning; and
“Observes that, unlike his colleagues and contemporaries who fought for Nigeria’s independence, whose names and images adorn our national currency and strategic national assets, Harold Dappa Biriye has nothing in his name order than this.”
