Bayelsa Govt Debunks Non-Implementation of 30 percent Wages Increase To Civil Servants

The Bayelsa state government has discredited that its yet-to-implement 30 percent salary wage for civil servants except for Primary School Teachers which are not under its purview but the local government authorities.

The Technical Adviser to the governor on Treasury, Accounts and Revenue, Mr Timipre Seipulo disclosed this on Friday at the monthly transparency briefing for the months of May and June, 2022 in Yenagoa while feeding questions from news men.

Data from the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) show that only 15 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have fully implemented the wage for basic school teachers. They are Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kwara, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, and Rivers state.

On the other hand, states that are yet to implement minimum wage for teachers include; Abia, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Gombe, Niger, Borno, Sokoto, Anambra, Imo, Benue, Taraba and Zamfara state.

He also conveyed that state Government has approved an increment in the salary grant for tertiary institutions in the state to assuage their financial burden.

According to Mr. Seipulo the Senator Douye Diri-led administration had been releasing over N854 million monthly as subvention to tertiary institutions in the state.

He noted that with the implementation of the increment in no distant time, the grant would be higher than what the institutions were currently receiving.

His words:”you are all aware that state government has graciously approved some increase to tertiary institutions. By the time that is being implemented, most likely within a short period, the grant will be higher than what they are getting.”

Presenting the income and expenditure report for the month of May, 2022, Mr Seipulo said total gross inflow from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) stood at N22.86 billion.

The amount was made up of statutory allocation of N2.57 billion, derivation N17.82 billion, Value Added Tax N2.28 billion, non oil revenue N124.6 million among other items.

Mr Seipulo also announced N1.62 billion as FAAC deductions comprising refund of budget support N154.9 million, restructured refund of overpayment N128.7 million, commercial agricultural credit scheme N199.08 million, excess crude account loan facility N126.6 million among other components leaving a balance of N21.23 billion.

He said internally generated revenue for April was N1.68 billion bringing the total receipts after FAAC deductions to N22.9 billion.

On outflows, the governor’s aide noted that it gulped N10.3 billion which include, bank loan repayment N3.52 billion, salary grant to tertiary institutions N854.3 million, civil servants salary N4.23 billion, while that of political appointees stood at N468 million among others leaving a balance of N12.6 billion.

According to him, the state government spent about N11 billion for capital expenditure while reccurent payment came up to N2.9 billion, totalling N14.07 billion.

Mr Seipulo who said the state recorded a shortfall of N1.4 billion after total payments, it had a balance brought forward from April of N3.85 billion which made up for the deficit and closing balance of N2.43 billion.

For the month of June, he said total gross inflow stood at N19.19 billion made up of statutory allocation of N2.19 billion, derivation N14.07 billion, Value Added Tax N1.97 billion among others.

Mr Seipulo also announced N1.6 billion as total FAAC deductions consisting refund of budget support N154.9 million, restructured overpayment of 13% derivation N128.3 million, excess crude account loan facility N126.6 million, salary bailout N16.2 million among other items leaving a net receipt of N17.5 from FAAC.

He said received N1.9 billion as internally generated revenue for May leaving a balance of N18.68 billion after FAAC deductions.

The governor’s aide said total outflows gulped N8.16 billion made up of bank loan repayment N1.72 billion, salary related items of N6.144 leaving a balance of N10.5 billion before capital and reccurent expenditure.

According to Mr Seipulo, state government spent N2.5 billion for recurrent payments while capital expenditure came up to N6.9 billion totalling N9.4 billion leaving a balance of N1.8 billion.

He explained that the balance brought forward from May was N2.4 billion leaving a balance carried forward in June of N3.5 billion.

Also speaking the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Maxwell Ebibai assured that workers salary would remain a major priority of government as evidenced in the prompt payment of salaries.

The Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Hon. Ayibaina Duba and the state’s Accountant General, Tokoni Ifidi were also in attendance.

Tife Owolabi
Journalist
Niger Delta
@tifeowolabi