Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State Government has called for active participation of whistle-blowers to support its efforts at sanitising the public service.
This was coming on the heels of the revelation of a Paramount Ruler and Amapere of Ekeremor, Chief Agbodo Gbaseimo who alleged that a grade level ten health worker was earning as much as N600,000 monthly.
During a town hall meeting at Ekeremor held on Tuesday, the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Daniel Iworiso-Markson said the present administration would not relent in its efforts to sanitize the Public service and make it one of the best in Nigeria.
According to him, whistle blowing would encourage the public “to blow the whistle on any worker who is defrauding the system or engaged in fraudulent activities to short-change the government.”
He expressed the present administration’s readiness to partner with individuals, especially those that have useful information on the activities of the pay roll fraudsters in the state public service.
Iworiso-Markson expressed confidence that the ongoing public sector reforms would enable government to save funds to commence the payment of gratuities and other welfare packages before the end of the present administration.
Funds that were hitherto spent on the payment of non-existent workers, he said, would be prudently managed to ensure that all genuine workers and retirees receive their earnings as and when due.
According to him, the reforms while helping to cut the wage bills of both state and local councils would strengthen government to embark on more infrastructural development.
The Caretaker Chairman of Ekeremor Local Government Council, Mr. Tolu Amatu, who recounted the gains recorded from the reforms, said that the Council’s wage bill has been reduced from over N90 million in 2016 to its current N64 million.
On his part, the member representing Ekeremor Constituency 1 at the Bayelsa State House of AssemblyHon. Ball Oyarede, said the bill seeking to give a legal backing to the reforms has reached advanced stage.
He stated that once signed into law those who commit .
fraud in the public service would be punished accordingly.