Bayelsa Approves Allowance Arrears For Ex-Councillors

Bayelsa State Government has approved for payment, the backlog
of allowances owed former councillors, who served eight local
governments from 2013 to 2016.

The government has directed the chairmen of the councils to
begin payment of the arrears by instalments not later than next
month.

Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo gave the directive at a
meeting with the local government chairmen and representatives of
the Restoration Councillors’ Forum, at the Government House,
Yenagoa.

He said after consideration of the current financial position of
the councils, the government and the Mrs. Ebiere Igodo Adeh-led
committee agreed on the payment of a monthly instalment of N100,000
to each of the former councillors

He, however, noted that the amount, which was also endorsed by
the council chairmen, would be increased to N200,000 any month the
councils received improved allocations, in order to shorten the
repayment period.

Senator Ewhrudjakpo, who faulted some of the monetary claims
presented by the councillors, noted that slight adjustments were
made, as records showed that some of them had received overpayments
before leaving office.

He said: “We have agreed that we start the payment with N100,000
to each councillor for each month, because of the resources
available to the councils.

“We have gone through the records. The first thing we want to
correct is the amount some of you declared as outstanding
allowance. We discovered that what some of you declared was not the
right amount. So this has been adjusted.”

Bayelsa State Government has approved for payment, the backlog
of allowances owed former councillors, who served eight local
governments from 2013 to 2016.

The government has directed the chairmen of the councils to
begin payment of the arrears by instalments not later than next
month.

Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo gave the directive at a
meeting with the local government chairmen and representatives of
the Restoration Councillors’ Forum, at the Government House,
Yenagoa.

He said after consideration of the current financial position of
the councils, the government and the Mrs. Ebiere Igodo Adeh-led
committee agreed on the payment of a monthly instalment of N100,000
to each of the former councillors

He, however, noted that the amount, which was also endorsed by
the council chairmen, would be increased to N200,000 any month the
councils received improved allocations, in order to shorten the
repayment period.

Senator Ewhrudjakpo, who faulted some of the monetary claims
presented by the councillors, noted that slight adjustments were
made, as records showed that some of them had received overpayments
before leaving office.

He said: “We have agreed that we start the payment with N100,000
to each councillor for each month, because of the resources
available to the councils.

“We have gone through the records. The first thing we want to
correct is the amount some of you declared as outstanding
allowance. We discovered that what some of you declared was not the
right amount. So this has been adjusted.”