The Bayelsa State Government has re-assured workers of its preparedness to pay full salaries at the end of this month, with a view to cushioning the financial hardship caused by the current economic situation facing the country.

The workers had been receiving half salary in the past six months while another seven months emolument are yet to be paid.

The Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (rtd), gave the assurance over the weekend at the transparency briefing for the month of September, 2016 at his office in Government House, Yenagoa.

He explained that, the 50% owed workers in the month of February, 2016, would be paid alongside that of October, to make full payment, stressing that, the government was still committed to the payment of the salary arrears owed the workers.

His words: “We understand there is this fear that, the past halves would be forgotten. No, we don’t need to be afraid, we want to reassure our workers that, the government would be doing this from time to time until we pay up the whole arrears. After all, it is your own money.”

While presenting the income and expenditure profile of the state, John Jonah said from next year, the state government would operate a cashless system of collecting internally generated revenues to check leakages.

The deputy governor, who announced a gross inflow of N11.07 billion said the amount was made up of 13% derivation of N4.2 billion, exchange differential N2.2 billion, statutory allocation N1.8 billion, Petroleum Profit Tax N1.1 billion, budget support N1.1 billion, VAT N662 million while refund from other states stood at N57 million.

On deductions, he noted that, bond loan amounted to N1.2 billion, restructured bank loans N741 million, excess crude account loan facility N126 million, commercial agricultural loan schemes one and two N162million, foreign loans N29 million and salary bailout of N16 million, totaling N2.3 billion, which brought the net inflow to N8.7 billion.

He, however, pointed out that, an IGR of N736 million increased the amount available for spending to N9.4 billion from which N9.7 billion was expended resulting to a negative balance of N267 million.

The deputy governor said, the expenditure include recurrent payment of N2.9 billion, capital payment N2.4 billion, civil servants’ salaries N2.5 billion, bank loan repayment N1.5 billion, salaries for political appointees N160 million and provision for IGR collection N69 million.

Fyneface Aaron, Yenagoa