Group backs ongoing public service reforms in Bayelsa

A political support group, the Bayelsa Restoration Caucus (BRC)  has endorsed ongoing public service reforms and dismissed pockets of protests against job losses in the reforms as ill advised and diversionary.

Workers affected by the reforms mostly non-academic staff of the state-owned Niger Delta University, Amassoma, had on Tuesday protested their disengagement from the university.

The casket-bearing protesters had carried a mock coffin  during the demonstration which locked down Amassoma - the university town.

The BRC, in a statement issued in Yenagoa on Saturday and signed by Chief Francis Doukpola condemned the protest  and urged the government to carry the reforms to its logical conclusion.

The statement urged the government to bring to book those guilty of promoting violence, fraud and obstruction of public peace.

The caucus contended that those who protested were sponsored and such acts should be discouraged by Bayelsa people.

The group urged people of Bayelsan to note that Niger Delta University belongs to all of them, hence they should protect it from collapse or attack from those who do not mean well for the state.

"The institution retired persons who are above 60 and 70 years in line with the civil service rules as well as paid three months salaries in lieu of the retirement of the affected persons.

"The institution should continue the reforms vigorously, while not allowing itself to be intimidated by anyone or group of persons.

"Those found wanting for promoting violence, fraud and obstruction of public peace should be dealt with according to the laws of the land." The BRC said,

The caucus threw weight behind the public sector reforms carried out by Seriake Dickson administration, saying that the reforms had saved the government billions of naira.

"The reforms have continued to expose payroll fraud, age falsifiers, certificate forgery, truancy, indiscriminate service promotions, inherited employment and persons having multiple employments where they earn salaries from different government agencies.

"The reforms have reduced the wage bill of the state from N6.7bn in 2012 when Dickson took over government to N3.9bn as of today." The statement read in part.