Bayelsa Govt to withhold April salaries of 222 of its media workers Bayelsa Govt to withhold April salaries of 222 of its media workers
Bayelsa government has commenced its plans to downsize its workforce and directed the removal of 222 staff from its radio station and newspaper.  ... Bayelsa Govt to withhold April salaries of 222 of its media workers

Gov. Dickson

Bayelsa government has commenced its plans to downsize its workforce and directed the removal of 222 staff from its radio station and newspaper.

 

According to a letter signed by Rev Thomas Zidafomo, Head of Service, Bayelsa State, addressed to General Manager of Bayelsa Newspaper Corporation, the exercise is part of ongoing public service reforms.

 

The letter directed the management of the two media outlets to withhold and remit the April salaries of affected workers to a special account at the Office of the Accountant General of the State.

 

The list showed that 86 staff of New Waves Newspaper and 136 workers from the Radio Bayelsa were affected from the list so far released while employees of the state television station remain apprehensive.

 

The letter stated that the directive was sequel to the setting up a committee by Gov Seriake Dickson on staffing and funding of government establishments identified as over staffed.

 

“The Governor set up a committee to formulate an overall policy on staffing and funding of these parastatals in the state.

 

 

“Based on the recommendation of that committee, the government has directed that excess staff be depoyed away from these parastatals with effect from April 2018.

 

“You are directed to notify the affected staff of this decision and deposit their monthly salaries in the State Unpaid Salary Account at the Office of Accountant-General commencing with April 2018.

 

“The affected staff should be advised to present themselves to the Committee on Screening of Staff to verify their area of professional competence for deployment exercise,” the Head of Service stated.

 

The Baylesa government said the ongoing public service reforms in the state was to eliminate endemic employment racketeering and pay roll fraud in its public sector.

 

Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (Rtd) had assured the workers that they would not be thrown into the labour market adding that the exercise would only affect those involved in employment fraud, redundancy and truancy. 

 

 

It will be recalled that Bayelsa government had on November 7,2017 announced that it withheld the October 2017 salary of some 4,202 civil servants suspected to be involved in irregularities.

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