Sylva, Dickson Bicker Over N4b Pensioners’ Fund

The immediate past
Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva has reacted to proposed judiciary probe on the alleged debt of four billion Naira owed to retired civil and public servants in the state between May, 2007 and January 2012 describing as witch -hunting.
In a statement signed by his media Assistant, Mr Dofie Ola, said that Dickson’s claim about non-payment of pensioners from May 2007- January 2012 is scandalous, petty and irresponsible”.
Sylva explained that when he took over as Governor of Bayelsa State from Dr Goodluck Jonathan, there were outstanding pension and gratuity arrears, and no noise was made about it.
But Dickson regarded the allegation of Sylva as that of a drowning man that decision of the State government to set up a judicial panel of enquiry to probe the backlog of unpaid pensions and gratuities is premised on the need to address the deep seated rot and systematic failure perpetrated by some disgruntled civil servants with the active collaboration of some political leaders.
In a statement signed by his Press Secretary, Mr Daniel Iworiso Markson said some persons working as syndicates have over the years siphoned N5billion meant for the payment of pensioners in the State.
“While, we are working hard to clear the backlog, the same syndicates, instead of hiding their faces in shame, have chosen to embark on a campaign of calumny and propaganda against the Government by inciting some of the pensioners to embark on street protest,” the statement added.
“The truth is that Governor Dickson decided to limit the commission to the last five years because civil servants have never had it so bad before this period,” the statement further said.