By kenechukwu obiajuru, Yenagoa
Bayelsa workers both at the State and Local Government Councils are under apprehension following the involvement of the independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC) in the renewed verification exercises to tackle issues of wage bill fraud and ghost workers in the state.
It was gathered that the involvement of the ICPC was based on the request made by the Governor Seriake Dickson administration to put an end to the hyrad issue of ghost workers and wage bill fraud in the service, an involvement ICPC they fear may lead to sack, arrest and prosecution of any complait the State Advisory Committee on Public Service Reforms headed by a Former Military administrator of old Rivers State and the Amanayabo of Twon-Brass, King Diette-Spiff has directed that all educational qualification used to gain employment into the civil service be submitted and screened.
Some workers alleged that it may be another means being adopted by the state government to sack workers due to the inability to pay salary when due.
it is believrd in official quarters thatr such suspicion was being promoted by wage bill fraudsters in the service but that the screening exercise was not meant to witchunt any genuine,innocent workers in the state .
The State Advisory committee on Public Service Reform however confirmed that those found guilty of absenteeism and wage bill fraud would be sanctioned, saying those indicted will be sacked from the State Civil Service.
The Chairman of the committee Alfred Diete-Spiff ,who confirmed the proposed sanction during an interactive meeting his committee had with relevant stakeholders in Brass Local Council in Twon-Brass,insisted that the ongoing reforms have shown that some workers will be dropped from the Civil Service.
According to him,“Some workers have to be dropped. We cannot have people that do not work but are receiving salaries. We cannot have people whose names appear in different payment vouchers,”
Spiff, who is also the Chairman of the Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers noted that funds made available to the various councils are supposed to be used for developmental projects and not only for salaries.
He also commended the Brass Local Government Chairman, Bello Bina for hosting his team as they visit the council area to sensitise the people of Brass particularly civil servants on the merits of the “No Work No Pay” policy.
Also speaking at the event, the Vice-Chairman of the committee, Francis Doukpola and the Secretary, Felix Tuodolor stated that any civil servant that does not want to work does not deserve his/ her pay, stressing that even private companies do not tolerate such indiscipline/conduct.
Earlier in his speech, the Chairman of Brass Local Government Council, Bello Bina, commended the state governor,Seriake Dickson for the “No Work No Pay” policy introduced,describing it as a step in the right direction.
According to Bina, the policy would drastically reduce the number of absentee staff in the council, maintaining that henceforth any staff that flouts the policy would be penalised accordingly.