Bayelsa confirms commencement of payment of new minimum wage, arrears
By Aherhoke Okioma
Bayelsa State Government says it is implementing the new minimum wage for public sector workers in the State.
Technical Adviser to the Governor on Accounts, Revenue and Finance, Mr.Timpre Seipulo stated this in Yenagoa at the Transparency Briefing for the months of March and April, Twenty-Twenty-Five.
Mr. Seipulo declared that over one hundred and seventy-four billion Naira was the balance in the State coffers as at the end of April this year.
Governor Douye Diri had announced during this year’s May Day Celebrations that the administration was committed to implementing the new minimum wage of eighty thousand Naira and the 25 and 35 % salary increment.
Less than a month after the pronouncement, the Technical Adviser to the Governor on Accounts, Revenue and Finance told journalists at the monthly Transparency Briefing that the State government had commenced implementation.
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Mr. Timpre Seipulo said while the salary of the State civil servants for the month of March this year amounted to 6 point one billion Naira that of April was six point five billion Naira with 266 million Naira used for salary arrears on minimum wage for last year while gratuities stood at 363 million Naira, pension arrears was 193 million Naira as that of political appointees was one point seven billion Naira for April.
The Technical Adviser to the Governor said while the money in the coffers of the State as of April ending this year stood at 174 point 4 billion Naira, recurrent payments stood at over 6 billion Naira, while capital expenditure was over 63 billion Naira.
He noted that some of the capital payments made over the two months include 16 billion Naira for the Yenagoa Phase 2 and 3 roads, 3 Billion Naira for the State independent power plant, over 10 billion for the clearing and sand-filling of the Ekeremor-Toru-Ndoro-Agge Road, 4 billion Naira for the Nembe-Brass Road, as well as the dualization of the Sampou, Odi shore protection and reclamation works on the site of the new Stadium, purchase of security vans among others.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Mrs. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai stressed that the State government would continue with its tradition of rendering accounts to the people.
In attendance at the briefing were the State Accountant General, Tokoni Ifidi, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Fin ance , Mr. Wodu and the Director, Bayelsa New Media, Dr. Kolawole Oredipe.
