Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson on Wednesday presented cheques worth N16.7 million to scholars studying Izon language under the pilot programme for the teaching and learning of the Ijaw language, just as he declared N2.2 billion as total funds available for spending at the end of October 2014.
Making the presentation at the Monthly Transparency Press Briefing in Yenagoa, Governor Dickson said N10 million is for the payment of bursary allowances while N6.7 million is to take care of their tuition fees.
According to him, the gesture is in line with his administration’s policy of promoting and preserving the history, culture and language of the people for the sake of posterity.
Governor Dickson, who lamented the dwindling financial fortunes of the state occasioned by the shortfall in revenue accruing from the Federal allocation, underscored the need for the people to be prudent in their expenditures.
While thanking the people for their cooperation, he also called on the political class, particularly those vying for various elective offices to exhibit the highest sense of discipline and civility in the pursuit of their ambitions.
Presenting the statement of account for the months of September and October 2014 on behalf of the Governor, his deputy, retired Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah announced N13 billion as gross inflow from the federation account for October.
Giving a breakdown of the inflow, the Deputy Governor declared N2.6billion as statutory allocation, derivation stood at N7.9 billion, with Sure-P at N1.01billion among others.
Out of the total FAAC deductions of N2.3billion, he said N1.2 billion went for bond deductions; N12.8 million was for foreign loans, while Commercial Agricultural Schemes amounted to N203.9 million.
According to John Jonah, the net balance after deductions at source, stood at N10.6 billion, while IGR for the month of September raked in N892 million and funds from other sources amounting to N900 million, brought total funds available for spending for October to N12.4 billion.
On expenditure, he explained that N5.7 billion was expended for bank loan repayment, civil servants’ salaries stood at N3.9 billion, while that of political appointees was N431.8 million.
Rear Admiral John Jonah, who noted that N2.7 billion went for recurrent and capital payments in addition to N242 million monthly standing approvals, however added that no payment was made on the 18% minimum wage arrears for October.
