Bayelsa Commissioner advises LG Chairmen to deploy 50 per cent of Paris Club loan refund to pay full salary

Bayelsa Commissioner advises LG Chairmen to deploy 50 per cent of Paris Club loan refund to pay full salary

The Bayelsa Commissioner for Local Government Administration, Pastor Agatha Goma has urged local government Chairmen to deploy the Paris Club loan refunds to pay full salaries.

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

Goma said on Thursday that Gov Dickson of Bayelsa 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 team are working out the details, that is why I cannot give out the figures.

“It is important to note that the state government has authourised 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,” Goma said.

 

Goma, commended the state governor for the timely approval for the release of the funds, 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 local government workers who called off a strike in February 2017.

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

 Goma 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, shun absenteeism, and late coming.

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

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