Bayelsa govt moves to meet financial obligations

YENAGOA—Bayelsa State government says it is reworking its financial management strategies to cushion the adverse effects of the shortfalls from the Federation Account to the state, due to dwindling oil prices at the international market.

Governor Seriake Dickson, on a live radio and television interview in Yenagoa, noted that more prudent measures would be taken to enable the government continually meet its salary and contractual obligations to workers and contractors.

He expressed the determination of his government to remain focused on implementing the restoration agenda of the administration, assuring that, the government was poised to complete most of the ongoing infrastructural projects, including the state cargo airport on or before next year.

Emphasising the need for accountability in governance, he explained that, but for his administration’s prudence, Bayelsa would not have been ranked among the few states that do not owe workers salaries.

He said the the state government was also on a clear standing in terms of payment of pensions to retirees, pointing out that “The only issue there, is that of gratuity, which has lingered for close to 10 years which we are trying to solve.”

The governor, who expressed concern over unpaid salaries of local government workers in the state, described the situation as unacceptable, stressing the need for governments at all level to prioritise the payment of salaries in the face of the current harsh economic realities.

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