BAYELSA RECOVERS N1.8BN FROM ONGOING PUBLIC SECTOR REFORMS

Bayelsa State Governor, the Honourable Seriake Dickson, on Wednesday said the ongoing reforms in the state public sector was yielding positive results, as his administration has recovered about N2.2 billion annually through the exercise.

Governor Dickson stated this during a meeting of Labour leaders, members of the Post Primary Schools Board and the Association of All Nigerian Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), in Yenagoa.

A statement by his Special Adviser on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, stated that, the amount was saved from the ongoing verification exercise in the mainstream civil service and that of the post primary schools in the state.

The Governor said that, the government had so far recovered N53million per month from the mainstream civil service and N134 million from discrepancies of salaries (grade levels and steps) of secondary school teachers and principals.

The Governor, who commended the labour unions for supporting the reforms designed to stop the endemic payroll fraud in the public service said, the money saved from the exercise could be committed to the development of the education sector to enhance service delivery.

While commending the efforts of workers verification committee led Dr. Josephine Igodo-led workers verification committee for its commitment and diligence, Governor Dickson expressed optimism that more funds would be recovered by the end of the exercise.

The Governor noted that, teachers whose salaries are being withheld would be paid into a special account known as, Unpaid Salaries Account pending when they have been duly verified.

In an interview with Government House Correspondents, the Commissioner for Education, Hon. Jonathan Obuebite, said the state government has lifted the embargo on the promotion of workers which came into effect from 2015.

Also, in her remarks, the Executive Secretary to the Post Primary Schools Board, Dr. Blessing Ikuru, commended Governor Dickson for his efforts at sanitizing the secondary schools.

She said, the board was working hard to regularise all discrepancies discovered in the grade levels and steps of teachers’ salaries.

The State Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Teachers, Comrade Kalama Tonpre and President of ANCOPSS, Mrs. Christiana Ezetu applauded Governor Dickson for promoting professionalism and welfare of workers in the state.