Bayelsa Has Staggering Debt, Liability Profile –Dickson

Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, says that preliminary report at his disposal indicates that the state has a staggering debt and liability profile.

The governor said recently in Yenagoa at the inauguration of an 11-member Financial Management Review Committee to critically examine the finances of the state that the exercise was not a witch-hunt.

Rather, Dickson said the committee was part of his administration’s initiative at promoting prudence in financial discipline in governance.

He tasked the committee to among others determine all the statutory allocations that had accrued to the state from May 2007 to January 2012.

The committee, he said, would also determine the activities of the Internal Revenue Board with regards to all internally generated revenue.

It also has the responsibility to state in categories and according to the months, determine all disbursements and documentations concerning state obligations.

Dickson, who described the chairman and members of the committee as credible and experts in the financial industry, expressed confidence in their ability to deliver on their assignment and in record time.

Their report, according to him, would establish a baseline to drive a new governance culture in Bayelsa state.

In a response, the Chairman of the committee, Chief Timi Alaibe, expressed the committee’s preparedness to achieve the set objectives and targets.

Alaibe who described the task as herculean solicited the assistance of all concerned to avail the committee of all the required documents.