Restates commitment to developmental projects
From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Government has disclosed that the state revenue as at the month of January 2023 recorded an increase to the tune of N48.5 billion.
It said the funds have helped the state government in several projects it’s executing across the state.
The Technical Adviser on Treasury and Accounts to Bayelsa State government, Mr Timipre Seipulo, who stood in for the Commissioner for Finance at the transparency briefing for the months of November/December 2022 and January 2023 disclosed that the state government has spent over N75 billion on capital projects from November 2022 to January 2023.
According to him the state government spent N24 billion, N25 billion and N26 billion on capital projects in November 2022, December 2022 and January 2023 respectively.
He disclosed that the money was spent on the ongoing Yenagoa – Oporoma road, completion of the second phase of the Glory Drive among others.
Seipulo further stated that donations for flood relief received by the state government stood at N396 by December 2022.
He said the state government has continued to meet its other financial obligations such as payment of salaries to civil servants and appointees, pension and gratuities to retirees as well as grants to state owned tertiary institutions.
“Inflows from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) have remained low with the bulk of the revenues accruing to the state coming from the 13 per cent derivation.
“The figure of N17.77 billion posted as closing balance for January shows that Bayelsa State may not be the poverty capital of Nigeria as is being touted in certain quarters” he added.
In his brief remark, the commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Hon. Ayibaina Duba restated the resolve of the Governor Douye Diri led administration to complete all the projects inherited from the previous administration and do more.
Duba said the present government will not just complete the on-going projects but will also initiate new ones for the benefit of Bayelsans.
“The government will continue to judiciously use the state resources for the overall development of the state”.