TIMIPRE SYLVA – GOVERNOR OF BAYELSA STATE
Governor Timipre Sylva was born on July 7, 1964 in Okpoma, Brass Local Government Area, where he started his primary education at St. Paul’s Primary School, Okpoma. He later went over to Lagos to complete his elementary school at Ajeromi Central School, in 1976.
Thereafter, he secured admission into the University of Port Harcourt, where he majored in English Studies/Linguistics. For the mandatory National Youth Service Corps programme, he served with Shell Petroleum Development Company, Warri, Delta State.
His working career started with the National Ministry Business Council, Port Harcourt, where as the Executive Secretary, he diligently saw to the creation of employment opportunities for his people. It was in recognition of his altruism and dedication to duty that his people elected him into the then Rivers State House of Assembly in 1991/92, at the age of 27 on the platform of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC). This was however cut short by the military intervention of late Sani Abacha.
Thereafter, he went into private business, establishing a company called Joint Oil Services Limited. When the ban on politics was lifted, he became one of the founding members of the United Nigeria Congress Party, (UNCP) and was made its Financial Secretary in Bayelsa State.
Following the dissolution of the then five political parties, he joined the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. As a foundation member, he was appointed Political Adviser to former Governor Alamieyeseigha but had to resign in 2002 on matters of principle.
He was a member of the Governing Council, Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State up till 2004. He was also the Special Assistant to the then Minister of State, Petroleum Resources and later Energy, Dr. Edmund Daukoru until he resigned to contest the governorship of Bayelsa in 2007. He won and was sworn-in on May 29, 2007. His vision, as he spelled it out in his manifesto, is to build a state that is united, secured and prosperous while his mission is to institute a sound administration and improve infrastructure, wealth creation, education and access to healthcare delivery system that will translate to a better standard of living for Bayelsans.
Towards the achievement of his goals, he has started pooling all the state’s revenues together towards meeting the overall development needs of the state. He has started providing micro-business finance and small & medium enterprises support to ensure that indigenes of the state have access to funds to finance their business. He has also taken giant strides in tourism development, agricultural development, security of life and property and industrial development.
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