By Mike Ekureku
The Niger Delta Activist Group, has commended Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri for ensuring that workers welfare is given top priority, particularly the prompt payment of their salaries.
National Coordinator of the Group, Comrade Izzy Yakiah made the commendation in an interview with our correspondent in Yenagoa on Monday.
He said Governor Diri has demostrated in the last one year that he appreciates the services of the state workforce and he holds them in high esteem as the engine room of the government.
Yakiah also lauded the governor for making efforts to offset the backlog of gratuity owed pensioners, but adds that more needs to be done in the area of promotion, as some workers are long overdue for promotion.
He however expressed worry that Bayelsa State is still lagging behind in the area of e
educational development and lamented that despite the state of emergency declared by the previous administration, the state still does not have a central library.
The Niger Delta activist also pointed out that Bayelsa still lacks basic health facilities and other basic social amenities that would make life easy for people of the state.
He stressed that the immediate past administration allegedly spent about seventy two billion naira to boost the standard of education but nothing commensurate is on ground to show for it.
Yakiah advised Diri to be careful of some of his political appointees who see their position as a goldmine but never proffer solution that would attract development to the state.
“Honestly, I am happy that this Governor is appreciating workers in the state. I have not heard that salaries are being owed or delayed and that is very commendable. He should continue in that direction.
“Another area that I will like to commend him is the area of payment of pensions and gratuity. That was something his predecessor failed to achieve and till date the backlog he left is still being cleared.
“I want to advice the Governor to focus on key areas like power, water, health and education. Till today Bayelsa doesn’t have a central library. That is shameful, considering the billions spent by Seriake Dickson on education” he said.
