Reforms: Bayelsa reduces workforce from 55,000 to 27,000

Bayelsa State Government has reduced its public service workforce from 55,000 to 27,000 as a result of the ongoing public sector reforms.
Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Daniel Iworiso-Markson, on Thursday, described the public sector reforms as one of the best policies embarked on by the Governor Seriake Dickson Administration.
Iworiso-Markson made the comment while speaking at a town hall meeting in Sagbama.
He said that the workforce was reduced by 28,000 through the removal of several ghost workers discovered through the painstaking verification exercises conducted by the Dickson Administration,
The Government spokesman stressed that the ongoing implementation of reforms in the public sector would create a lot of job opportunities aside from the generation of resources for infrastructural development in the state.

The Commissioner, who thanked the people for producing Dickson, expressed the hope that more achievements would be recorded for the common good before the end of the administration.
He urged the chiefs and people of the area to work hand in hand with the various teams that would visit their communities to verify and pay pensioners.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Labour, Employment and Productivity, Chief Collins Cocodia, explained that Bayelsa had 55,000 workers with over N6 billion as wage bill at the inception of the present administration in 2012.
Cocodia said that with the implementation of the reforms, Bayelsa, which was second to Lagos State as at 2012 in terms of public service workforce, had about 27,000 workers in its payroll thereby weeding out 28000 names from the workforce.
In their remarks, House of Assembly members from the area, Dr Peter Akpe and Hon. Benard Kenebai endorsed the reforms, noting that efforts were underway in the state legislature to institutionalise the exercise.
Other stakeholders, who endorsed the reforms and assured government of support, included the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, Hon Fyneman Wilson, Chief Francis Doukpola, the Ibenanaowei of Oyiakiri Clan, King Joshua Igbagara and State Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr Godspower Keku
On her part, Madam Lilian Oko condemned the ghost workers syndrome, certificate  racketeering, age and grade level falsification and other sharp practices in the public sector, and urged Bayelsa women to support the reforms for the sake of their children.
Describing the initiative as people oriented, the state representative at the Port Harcourt Flour Mills Limited, Hon Godwill Sele, called on the state government to intensify its efforts at establishing industries to create jobs for the people.