Paris Club loan refunds: Bayelsa Council workers jubilate as Commissioner directs full payment of salaries

CHINEDU WOSU, YENAGOA

It will be recalled that Bayelsa government in December got a refund of N14 billion from the Paris club refunds disbursed to states by the federal government.

The Commissioner disclosed that Gov Henry Seriake Dickson has approved the release of the local government component of the refund.

“The governor has just approved the release of the local government share of the Paris Club loan refunds. As we speak, the Finance Commissioner and the finance teams are working out the details. That is why I cannot give out the figures.

“It is important to note that the state government has authorized the release of the funds and we expect them to henceforth revert to payment of full salaries as opposed to the half salaries they currently pay,” she said.

Goma, commended the state governor for the timely approval of the release of the funds andw called on local government authorities to ensure that 50% of the Paris Club fund is committed to staff salaries while a reasonable part of the fund should be expended on people-oriented projects.

The Commissioner said the state governor took the decision to release the fund as part of the efforts aimed at implementing agreements reached with local government workers who called off a strike in February this year.

She noted that regular payment of salary is expected to sustain industrial harmony at the local government level.

The commissioner also urged the unions to continue to maintain peace and impress on their members the need to rededicate themselves to the service of the state and shun absenteeism and late coming.

Goma said that the Eight Local Government Caretaker Committee Chairmen have demonstrated commitment to staff welfare, but that the economic recession has negatively affected Federal Allocation Account Committee’s allocation to all tiers  of government.

She equally urged the unions to support the council chairmen in their efforts at ridding  the council’s pay vouchers of fraud and ghost workers.

Our Correspondent reports that there was  wild jubilation in the state when residents  and workers heard the announcement of the approval of the Paris Club loans refund disbursement by the governor for the full payment of local workers salaries.

Council workers in the state had been lamenting the non payment of salaries by the state government led by Governor Seriake Dickson.