Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson has released the sum of N300 million towards the payment of gratuity to retirees, beginning from next week.
According to Head of Service, Sir Fraser Okuoru who announced this in Yenagoa shortly after the 37th session of the State Executive Council meeting on Thursday, the state government previously paid N1.5bn, bringing the total comeny committed to the project to N1.8bn.
He appealed to pensioners in the state, especially the junior cadre to exercise some patience, as they would be paid their entitlements in due course.
Also speaking, Commissioner for Education, Chief Salo Adikumo disclosed that the sum of N55m had been disbursed for the procurement of practical science materials for both Junior and Senior Secondary Schools for the forthcoming WAEC and NECO examinations in April this year.
He expressed displeasure with the collection of examination fees by principals of secondary schools, warning those involved to desist forthwith or be shown the way out.
“I have heard reports several times that some principals in some of the local government areas still collect WAEC and NECO fees”, he said. “As a result of the importance government attaches to education, it has paid N312m for WAEC and NECO fees for Bayelsa State students”.
Consequently, the Education boss invited the principals of three secondary schools to his office tomorrow.
They are Community Secondary Schools Opuama, Eniwari and Ekowe, all in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
In a related development, Commissioner for Special Duties, Bayelsa-East Senatorial District, Chief Walter Kuroghefa-Ben-Wari also noted that the Executive Council resolved and mandated the three senatorial commissioners to investigate cases of illegal collection of examination fees by school principals in the state.
Earlier, Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Deacon Markson Fefegha expressed the intention of government to reposition the education sector by overhauling the primary and secondary school systems in the state.
