As financial crisis hits some states of the federation, making it problematic for state governors and local governments councils to remunerate their workforce, Bayelsa state cannot be said to be left out as fresh revelations have emerged as to why governor Henry Seriake Dickson embarked on a one week recess and resolve of some local government unions to embark on strike to protest the inability of Local Government Chairmen in the State to pay salaries.  

Any keen follower of socio-political happenings in Bayelsa state will discern that civil servants at the local government level for have not been paid their salaries for more than three (3) months; a development which have brought untold hardship to the workers and their families. Unfortunately Councils Chairmen have not given any reason why salaries have not been paid.  

When contacted a reliable source who doesn’t want his name on print revealed to SAYELBATIMES.COM that this sad development propelled the state governor to set up a committee saddled with the responsibility of gathering information about the wage bill of various local governments that haven’t paid salaries, their financial status and recommendations as to what he can do to bail them out. Chief of staff  Government house who is no other person than Hon. Talford Ongolo was appointed chairman of this committee.  

Our source further stated that the committee is very dubious because Hon. Talford Ongolo who was a one time Chairman Local Government Service Commission whose tenure was marred with nefarious activities that helped wreaked the system cannot bring anout any meaningful change.   “How can you appoint a cat to be a judge in his own case, who will he find guilty is it the owner of the fish or himself? And for the governor to appoint someone like Hon. Talford Ongolo as chairman its very unfortunate. Because it is obvious that their resolve will be to put the blame on dwindling revenue.” our Source said  

Going deeper, our source also revealed to SAYELBATIMES.COM that it is only the state governor that can call for a JAAC (Joint Account Allocation Committee) to hold, and he has deliberately refused to summon the committee to share funds for local governments, while pretending as if the local governments are accessing their funds whereas in reality they are not.   It is unfortunately that the states has cornered the local governments to open a joint account. So now the local governments are at the mercy of the states. The Local Government Councils can only access their funds at the discretion of the Governor,  our source lamented.  

Information reaching SAYELBATIMES.COM from the labour circles is that the committee is dormant and has done nothing. Some labour leaders who spoke to SAYELBATIMES.COM on condition of anonymity said the governor traveled out of the country in the guise of a one week leave, but the truth is that the pressure by those concerned prompted him to take this short leave hoping that by the time he returns federation allocation account committee (FAAC)  must have met and shared the month’s allocation.  

Unfortunately, pensioners in the state are worse hit by the inability of governments at state and local government levels to pay salaries. A sad development which have made things hard for pensioners because many of them don’t have any other source of livelihood apart from their pension due to old age.  

Local Government Unions Set To Embark On Strike.

Speaking to a Local Government Unionist SAYELBA TIMES was made to understand that National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) have been feigning ignorance over the improvised condition of their fellow workers due to the fact that some members of its exco are stooges to the powers that be, so they cannot actually challenge them on issues affecting even themselves and their members, but the present situation have overwhelmed them.

  The pressure to embark on an industrial action is coming from medical and health workers union which is a more vibrant union because it is the local government that pays most of the public health workers. Due to their independent nature they are putting pressure on NULGE and are threatening to go on strike any moment from now. Government on its part is trying to cut short the union’s mission by insisting that once the committee set up by the governor submits its report they will do something to alleviate their plight, but the union is not buying into that story so any moment from now they will be going ahead with their plans.  

All our efforts to get the Government’s perspective on the issue proved abortive as our SMS to the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor were not replied, just as his number was not connecting.

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