The Bayelsa State Government has debunked reports that, it has bought
official cars for political appointees as alleged by some media
reports, pointing out that, there is no truth whatsoever in the report
and it should be disregarded.
A Government House statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to
the Governor, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson explained that, the purchase
of said vehicles only covered the State owned security outfit
‘Operation Doo Akpo’ to rejuvenate and boost its functions and improve
security in the State, especially within Yenagoa and its environs.
According to him, the payment for the vehicles, which has been spread
over a long period of time will be deducted monthly from the
beneficiaries, as against the widely spread notion that, the
Government has dished out Three Billion Naira to buy official cars for
assembly members and political appointees.
It notes that, the Government is not in a good financial standing to
buy cars for the use of its functionaries, stressing that, even the
state Governor has remained with the same set of vehicles that were
procured in 2012/13, and no arrangement has been made to buy new cars,
in view of the state of the finances of the Government.
It must, however, be stated that, as lawmakers and like their
counterparts at the Federal level and other States, they need cars to
function and perform their duties as representatives of the people,
stressing that, it has always been the practice and not new to
Bayelsa.
The statement restated Governor Seriake Dickson’s commitment to
running a transparent system, where the welfare of workers and the
citizenry remains top most priority. It is therefore not true that
government is owing six months salary of workers, as alleged in some
of the media reports, rather government is making conscious efforts to
clear all outstanding salaries and has even gone ahead to pay in full
the salary for the month of January.
The statement advised the media and persons spreading the unfounded
rumour to cross-check their facts for the overall interest of the
Government, the workers and the entire people of the State.