The Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson has kick started the payment of pensions and gratuity to the retirees in the state with the presentation of N500m cheque in fulfillment of his promise.
Presenting the cheque to the State Head of Civil Service, Sir Frazer Okuoru, who is also the Chairman of the Pensions and Gratuity Verification Committee in Government House, Yenagoa, Hon Dickson urged the committee to ensure adequate and proper disbursement of the funds to genuine retirees.
He noted that the release of the N500 million naira signals the first installment payment of the funds government intends to disburse in tranches to clear the arrears.
His words, “I charge the Committee chaired by our Head of Service with members who are all very senior and experienced people in this respect to painstakingly verify the names of all the supposed retirees and do it in such a way that only genuine and verified persons benefit.
I say so because of the problem of ghost workers that we have, which is still so much around with us, although we are trying to address it”.Describing the backlog of pensions and gratuities owed by the state as unfortunate, Governor Dickson pointed out that the problem predates his administration.
The Governor assured retirees and civil servants in the State that the present administration would not play politics with their welfare, saying that Government will soon provide affordable accommodation as well as an insurance policy to take away the burden of medical bills from them.
He, however, warned erring civil servants to turn a new leaf, stressing that his administration will not hesitate to discipline whoever that is found wanting in the performance of his or her statutory duties. Emphasizing the need for workers to remain non-partisan and obedient to constituted authority, Hon Dickson said Government would soon publish a list of truant workers and take appropriate disciplinary actions against them in accordance with the civil service rules.
“ And let me announce that I have just directed the Staff Verification Team to compile the list of those absentee workers; Unknown to a lot of them, we have been investigating them for some time and we are getting set to release the first list of people, who have been found wanting.
“I have directed the Head of Service to act accordingly…. I don’t care to know whoever that is in that list. I’m not going to interfere and nobody should interfere. If there is any interference, then I will like to know because we want a civil service that is professional”, he said.
Responding, the Head of Service, Sir Frazer Okuoru assured the Governor that the Committee would diligently carry out its responsibilities.
Sir Okuoru appealed to pensioners to show understanding and patience to enable the committee clear the cheque and fine-tune modalities for actual payments to commence.
..As State Declares Zero Tolerance For Crimes, Arrests Over 600 Suspects
Bayelsa State security outfit, code named, Operation Doo-Akpor disclosed at the weekend that in the last one year arrested over 600 suspects for criminal related offences and handed them over to the appropriate security agency for further interrogation and prosecution in accordance with the state criminal law.
Also, in order to enhance the safety of lives and property on the waterways, the Government has taken delivery of thirteen armoured patrol boats.
Assuring people of their safety, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Col. Bernard Kenebai (Rtd) said it is the constitutional responsibility Government to guarantee a safe and secured environment, adding that no meaningful development can take place in an atmosphere of insecurity.
Briefing newsmen on the activities of the Governor Seriake Dickson led administration, especially in the area of security; Colonel Kenebai said Government is proactive in its approach to security issues, stating that, ‘prior to the advent of the present administration, the security situation in the state was appalling.
‘There were high incidents of criminal activities in Urban and other metropolitan cities of the state. Our waterways then were no longer safe as there were reported cases of sea piracy and other related vices. We appreciate the fact that the incidents were not peculiar to Bayelsa state alone but unique in some sense.
‘The impact of a state of insecurity is quite obvious. Criminals were taking institutions of Government in an open confrontation.There were reported cases of kidnapping, assassinations and the activities of the amnesty agitators were not left out.
However, noting the effect of state of insecurity on the economy of the state, the present administration, according to the Special Adviser devised a security measure tagged, Bayelsa Integrated Security Measure aimed at curtailing criminal activities.
The measure, as disclosed by the security aide has assisted in reducing the criminal activities in the state to zero level, adding that the people of the state can now sleep with their two eyes closed.With the installation of TETRA Trunk radio, Colonel Kenebai disclosed the security outfit has been able to checkmate the activities of criminals within and outside the state, adding that there is always a prompt response to distress calls.
As part of the achievements of the present administration, the government has procured over 85 patrol vehicles and 15 patrol boats and as well embarked on training and re-training of security personnel, he disclosed.
