Bayelsa Plans Low Cost Houses For Civil Servants

In a bid to improve the living conditions of civil servants, Bayelsa State government has disclosed its intention to build low cost houses for them. It has directed the relevant ministry to acquire 100 hectares of land for that purpose.Governor Seriake Dickson, who announced the plan in Yenagoa at a three-day retreat on strategic management for permanent secretaries in the state, said the development was part of the welfare package for civil servants.

The retreat is organised by the state government in collaboration with the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON).Dickson said the project would commence at Agbura in the next two months just as another housing scheme for senior civil servants would be located opposite the five-star hotel in the state capital.

The governor also assured of government intention to add four more buses to the existing fleet of six for the mass transport scheme for civil servants, saying it will take off at the end of the month.He said, “The reforms being undertaken in the civil service were geared towards enhancing the productivity and professionalism of the workforce as the civil service is the instrumentality through which government policies and programmes are implemented”.

He described as wrong and criminal the development where some civil servants without the requisite medical qualifications were benefiting from the medical and health workers salary scale.

Dickson also directed the Ministry of Finance to work in conjunction with the Head of Service and Treasury Department to expunge the names of such medical workers from the special salary scale with effect from this month.In his words, “There is an unhealthy practice in this state.

There are people who are not entitled to earn the medical and health workers’ allowance. Entitlement depends on qualification and not membership of a union. We are working together to lay a foundation of a new Bayelsa State and if we do not do so, Bayelsa will self-destruct.

We must not allow this illegality and impunity to continue.”On the need for workers to pay appropriate taxes in conformity with the Personal Income Tax Act (PITA) of the Federal Government, Dickson said government would soon evolve a tax policy for the private sector in the state to enable all stakeholders to participate in the development of the state. 

SAMUEL ESE, Yenagoa
From Business Day news..

BAYELSA GOVT INVESTS N1.17BN ON AQUACULTURE FARMS

BAYELSA GOVT INVESTS N1.17BN ON AQUACULTURE FARMS
 
Bayelsa government is investing N1.17bn on Aquaculture farms; fish processing and storage facilities, while its foreign partners will source for N2.73bn. The project is expected to gulp N3.9bn.
 
Disclosing this at an interactive session with newsmen, the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr. Thomas Commander said the government has signed a pact with two foreign technical partners to establish Aquaculture Farms, Fish Processing and storage facilities in the state to boost food production for local consumption and export.
 
Dr. Commander said the present administration is taking a giant leap to diversify the economy from oil and gas by taking advantage of its climate that is ideal for massive rice, cassava, banana, fisheries and aqua- culture production.
            
According to him, “P and R International, which is one of the partners, is going to establish a fish farm with a capacity of about 1500 metric tones of Cat fish with 500 metric tons of Tilapia making a total of 2000 metric tons of fish per annum.
 
“In view of the volume of fish that would be produced, they have been asked to also establish a fish processing factory with a capacity of 2500 Metric Tonnes and a Cold Storage Facility
 
These three components amount to 24 million US dollars with a naira equivalent of about N3.9bn. That is the cost, but this amount is to be shared across three important components- fish farm, fish processing factory and the cold storage facility which, has never happened in Nigeria. So it is cost effective and we are sure that we have done the best thing.
 
“In this amount, 30% is what the state is going to pay while the partners are going to source for 70% of this fund. However, there is an agreement that whatever they bring in will be paid back over 24 months.
 
He stated further that in line with the present administration’s target of achieving self-sufficiency in food production, the state would boast of its indigenous rice as government would commence harvest of the produce in the next three months.
 
According to him, government is making frantic efforts in revamping the Peremabiri, Isampou and Kolo farms for commercial rice production, noting that 1000 hectares of land have already been cultivated in Otuasega, Fando and Burma under what he called, “the Outgrowers Scheme.”
 
Dr. Commander maintained that government is working with foreign technical partners on Commercial Cassava Starch Processing Factory at Ebedebiri in Sagbama local government area; while efforts are on to rehabilitate the Bayelsa Palms in partnership with Malaysian experts.
 
 
Daniel Iworiso-Markson
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa State
08/08/2013

BAYELSA GOVT PARTNERS FOREIGN FIRMS ON MASSIVE FISH PRODUCTION …… MAPS OUT STRATEGY TO UNCOVER PAYROLL FRAUD

BAYELSA GOVT PARTNERS FOREIGN FIRMS ON MASSIVE FISH PRODUCTION
…… MAPS OUT STRATEGY TO UNCOVER PAYROLL FRAUD
 
Bayelsa State Government has signed a bilateral agreement worth millions of dollars with two foreign firms- P&R International Limited and Onida Development Company for the establishment of aquaculture farm project and fish processing plant in Angalabiri, Sagbama local government area of the state.
 
Also, the Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson sought the support of well meaning people in the state, including media practitioners in uncovering payroll fraud, adding that all hands should be on deck to rid the civil service of corrupt and sharp practices.
 
Rendering his account of stewardship during the Monthly Transparency Press briefing held on Tuesday at the Banquet Hall Yenagoa, Governor Dickson said the State posted N19.9bn at the end of July,2013 after statutory deductions and capital payments.
 
The governor disclosed that the Fish Farm project upon completion would increase the revenue profile of the State as well as create employment opportunities.
 
Stressing the need for diversification from oil and gas sector of the economy, Hon. Dickson said investment in the agricultural sector; especially aquaculture fish farm is one of the cardinal programmes of his Restoration Agenda.
 
In realization of this lofty aim, the governor disclosed that 500 youths drawn from the eight local government areas of the state are undergoing training in Songhai Farms in Benin Republic, while the government has concluded plans to set up an Agricultural School to train middle level manpower.
 
His words, “we want to be number one as far as Aquaculture is concerned not only in this country but in our continent and beyond because we have the climate.
 
“We have also a contract for the development of a PGA rated Golf Course of the highest International standard and with the assurances that I have been given and with the little that I have come to know about what our contractor has delivered already in this country, I expect that you will perform according to the terms of the contract.
 
“As you know, our government is serious about broadening the base of our economy because that is the right thing to do. On our own part, we have got to invest more and more in Agriculture. We want large cassava, banana and plantain plantations springing up here. This is where we have the climate. We are also working with partners to develop oil palm resources and in all of these because agriculture going forward is going to be a major plan upon which a viable economy will be based in this state.
 
Giving the financial breakdown on behalf of Governor Dickson, the Deputy Governor, Retired Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah declared N19.96bn as balance of funds available after statutory deductions including recurrent expenditure and capital receipts.
 
He explained that out of a gross inflow of N17.96bn, FAAC deductions took N2.07bn leaving the state with a net inflow of approximately N15.9bn.
 
Rear Admiral John Jonah, who put the Internally Generated Revenue for June at N658m, announced that civil servants salaries gulped N3.96bn while N428m was spent on the payment of political appointees’ salaries.
 
Daniel Iworiso-Markson
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa State

GOV DICKSON APPOINTED MEMBER OF INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF VISITORS AT PRESTIGIOUS LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, USA

04/08/2013
GOV DICKSON APPOINTED MEMBER OF INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF VISITORS AT PRESTIGIOUS LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, USA
 
Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has been appointed in to the International Board of visitors of the prestigious Lincoln University in the United States of America.
 
In a letter to the Governor, the President of  the University’s Board of visitors, Robert Jennings stated that, the appointment was done based on Governor Dickson’s track record of achievements in all sectors of the state’s economy, especially in education, infrastructure and human capacity development, among others.
 
He noted that, the University, which has closely followed the Governor’s developmental strides since his assumption of office, was proud of the various steps he has taken to reposition as well as make the state more relevant in all spheres of national life.
 
In his acceptance letter, Governor Dickson, described Lincoln University as an institution with unbreakable historic ties to Nigeria and Africa, being the university that produced great African leaders like Late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe of Nigeria and Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, stressing that, he will commit himself to strengthening the vital bridge between the university and Africa, especially Nigeria.
 
While, affirming his preparedness to support every effort geared towards the expansion of the educational, cultural and social links the university shares with Africa and its people, Hon. Dickson noted with satisfaction that as the first university to award degrees to African Americans and having also produced many outstanding graduates that have made valuable contributions to the growth and progress of Nigerians, Lincoln University will continue to hold a special place in the history of the black race.
 
The acceptance letter read in part, “Being the university that produced Nnamdi Azikiwe, my country’s first President, and other monuments to African progress such as Kwame Nkrumah, Lincoln has unbreakable historic ties to Africa and Nigeria.
I am eager to join you in advancing this rich tradition. As you have extended this honour to me, I reciprocate by committing myself to strengthening the vital bridge between your institution and Africa, particularly Nigeria. You shall find me a reliable friend and emissary in support of efforts to expand the educational, cultural, and social links the University now shares with Africa.
 
As the first university to award degrees to African Americans and because of the many outstanding graduates who have contributed to the progress of our people, Lincoln holds a special place in the history of the Black race. As a member of the Board of Visitors, I am morally obligated to honour that history”
 
The Bayelsa State Chief Executive concluded by stating that, he was accepting the appointment, not for himself alone, but on behalf of the Government and people of Bayelsa State and Nigeria in general.
He pledged his commitment to continue to render selfless and quality service to Bayelsa State and Nigeria, adding that, he will give his best shot to the new responsibility given to him by Lincoln University to further enhance the gains of his restoration government in the State.
 
 
Daniel Iworiso-Markson
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Bayelsa State