Tuesday, 13 August 2013
Sunday, 21 July 2013
DICKSON SIGNS BHSS BILL INTO LAW, RELEASES N500M TAKE OFF GRANT
19/07/2013
Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson has presented a draft of N500m as take off grant to the newly inaugurated board of the State Health Services Scheme to kick start the programme. This is just, as he signed into law the Bayelsa State Health Services Scheme bill that has been described as the first of its kind in the country.
In addition, the government will be remitting between N50m and N100m monthly into the coffers of the Board, to assist in the delivery of the present administration’s health policy.
Disclosing this at the inauguration ceremony of the Bayelsa State Health Services Scheme Board on Friday in Yenagoa, Hon. Dickson said the scheme is primarily targeted at the public servants in the State, adding that they are automatic subscribers to the scheme.
According to him, with the inauguration of the Board, government has provided a legal backing for the establishment of a credible functional and sustainable Health scheme for the Public servants.
“The board will come up with a scheme of premium whereby different people at different grades in our public service will pay and subscribe to it. Irrespective of what they get because of the importance we attach to this programme and the need to ensure its sustainability, government of this great state, apart from the initial N500 million deposit that we are going to give to them, we will also make a monthly payment to the fund of N50 to N100 million every month.
“The whole idea is that whatever they get from the subscriptions from the public sector whatever the amount is, government will also augment it so that those who require medical attention will always have enough funds for treatment.
‘‘When our facilities are completed, and I hope in the next 4 months our Diagnostic centre will be completed, it will be our policy and it will be the duty of this board to implement same, that every public sector worker, every tax paying citizen of this state will be entitled to at least, free medical diagnostic treatment once every year.
Urging the private sector to take advantage of the scheme, Hon. Dickson who also pointed out that the diagnostic centre under construction, when completed in the next 4 months; public servants would enjoy free medical check-up once in a year.
Consequently, he solicited the partnership of the federal government in the area of training of manpower in the medical field as his administration strives to ensure that public servants have the full benefits of the restoration government.
Also speaking, the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, commended Governor Dickson for initiating the scheme, stating that it would boost the delivery of primary health care in the state.
Prof. Chukwu described the establishment of the health programme as a demonstration of total leadership and assured the state government of Federal Government’s collaboration in the provision of training for medical personnel.
Responding, Chairman of the BHSS, Dr. Markson Amaigbe expressed appreciation to Governor Dickson for the confidence reposed in them and admonished members of the board against sharp practices in the discharge of their responsibilities.
BAYELSA CAN'T SUSTAIN N4.3BN MONTHLY WAGE BILL --- Gov Seriake Dickson
Bayelsa can’t sustain N4.3bn monthly wage bill- Governor Dickson
The Bayelsa State Governor stated this on Friday.
Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has said the state government’s wage bill of N4.3 billion for June was too much and unsustainable.
The governor stated this when he presented the financial profile of the state for June at the monthly transparency media briefing on Friday in Yenagoa.
According to him, expending N4.3 billion on workers’ salaries is unsustainable for the economy of Bayelsa.
He said that the state government’s wage bills “over the months remain a sour point in our financial balance sheet’’.
“I disagree with this figure of N4.3billion because it is not sustainable for our economy.
“We must come together and do something urgently to reduce this figure. We have to do something if we must grow our economy,’’ Mr. Dickson said.
The governor said that N2.6 billion was received by the state government as statutory allocation from the federation account for the month of June.
He said the total derivation of the state was N9.39 billion, and that the total financial inflow to the state stood at N19.09 billion.
Mr. Dickson further explained that while the state government had continued to spend huge amount of money to run the government, the internally-generated revenue (IGR) remained minimal. He said the IGR of the state for the month of June was N645.39million.
“While we complain of the huge burden of our workers’ salary, our internal-generated revenue had remained poor; we must strive to improve it,’’ he said.
He said the government had in the past one month spent N250 million on payment of money owed retired civil servants by the previous administration.
Mr. Dickson said that after making all the payments and deductions, N25.26 billion was left in the coffers of the state as balance at hand.
(NAN
PHOTO NEWS: MBGN – MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL IN NIGERIA 2013 In Bayelsa State
— [ PICTURE ONE ]—
Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson (centre) speaking during the 26th edition of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Pageant in Yenagoa, while the Minister of Culture, High Chief Edem Duke (left) and the Chairman of Silverbird Group, Mr. Ben Murray-Bruce (right) look on.
— [ PICTURE TWO ]—
Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson (left) congratulating Miss. Anna Ebiere Banner (right) shortly after she emerged
winner of the 26th edition of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Pageant in Yenagoa. Photo by Lucky Francis.
— [ PICTURE THREE ]—
Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson (centre) presenting a souvenir to the winner of the 26th edition of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Pageant Miss. Anna Ebiere Banner (right) in Yenagoa, while the Minister of Culture, High Chief Edem Duke (left) looks on.
Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson (centre) speaking during the 26th edition of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Pageant in Yenagoa, while the Minister of Culture, High Chief Edem Duke (left) and the Chairman of Silverbird Group, Mr. Ben Murray-Bruce (right) look on.
Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson (left) congratulating Miss. Anna Ebiere Banner (right) shortly after she emerged winner of the 26th edition of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Pageant in Yenagoa.
Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson (centre) presenting a souvenir to the winner of the 26th edition of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Pageant Miss. Anna Ebiere Banner (right) in Yenagoa, while the Minister of Culture, High Chief Edem Duke (left) looks on.
Saturday, 20 July 2013
BAYELSA GOVT POSTS N25.3BN BALANCE AT THE END OF JUNE …..AS GOV DICKSON EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER RECURRENT EXPENDITURE
Bayelsa state Government posted the sum of N25.3 billion as balance as at the end of June, 2013. This includes the balance from the monthly allocation from Federation Account for the month of June, SURE-P of N10.8bn, and balance after deduction of recurrent and capital expenditure which stood at N13.5bn.
Disclosing this during the presentation of the 14th edition of the Monthly Transparency press briefing in Yenagoa, Governor Seriake Dickson said the total inflow for last month amounted to N19.1 billion comprising statutory allocation of N2.6 billion, derivation N9.4 billion and Augmentation N5.02 billion.
Other components of the inflow, according to the Governor include, subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), N1.1 billion; VAT N811 million with an NNPC refund of N233m.
Hon. Dickson said total FAAC deductions for the period which included bond, foreign loans, refund on overpayment and commercial agricultural credit scheme amounted to N1.9 billion bringing the Net Inflow from FAAC to N17.2 billion.
Giving further insight into the financial position of the state, the Bayelsa State Governor announced a total outflow of N10.8 billion.
Out of this amount, he said Civil Servants salaries gulped over N4 billion, salaries of political appointees – N555 million, bank loan repayment – N2.4 billion and monthly overhead payment – N1.2 billion.
The outflows also comprised monthly standing approvals of N316 million, transfer to Gratuity Account N250 million with cost for collection of internally generated revenue (IGR) put at N32 million.
Governor Dickson posted N645 million as IGR receipt for the month of May, which he described as abysmally low and incapable of sustaining the much desired growth and development of the state.
He said total payment to contractors between May and June, 2013 yanked off over N12 billion from the capital fund Account.
Meanwhile, Governor Dickson has expressed concern over the State OF re-current expenditure, stressing the need for active participation of the Organized Private Sector
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