IN a bid to surmount recession, meets its obligation in terms of human capacity building and infrastructural development, the Bayelsa State Government has concluded arrangement to expend the N14.5BN received from the federal government as credit returned to government as fund deducted from the state account to fund Paris/London debt on consolidating on agric investments, other projects and full payment of workers’ salaries in the state.
The Government spoke through the State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Jonathan Obuebite in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa capital.
The Commissioner said that the Governor Dickson led Restoration Government has a human face, and for that singular reason it has been working to ensure that its workforce are paid in spite of the prevailing economic situation, and providence has released the N14.5BN to government to further enable her discharge her responsibility to the people of the state.
Accordingly, he pointed that owing the Governor’s commitment to transparency and accountability, he graciously approved that half of the fund be spent to pay pension, full salaries for the month of October and November, while the other half would be deployed to consolidate on the agric value chain for export and other projects in the state.
Continuing, he explained that Bayelsa pays federal scheme in terms of salaries, compared to other states in the federation, which is relatively considerable and sizeable to pay, even as he pointed that October and November salaries would be paid in December, while December salaries would be paid in second week of January to absorb the financial dearth/pressure associated with the first month of the new year.
Obuebite submitted that previous government wouldn’t take the pain to inform the public, but noted that Governor Dickson, who initiated the transparency/accountability bill that was signed to law, gave directive that the public must not only be informed but that they be told how government intend to manage the funds.
“Though approval is given but state government would swing into action when liquidity is available” the Commissioner assured.
The Commissioner said further that government wants the fisherman in the creek and rural dwellers to also be in the know, so that they would be able to educate others on how government is prudently managing the state’s funds.