The Bayelsa State Government has threatened to discipline community leaders. Who fail to prepare a list of absentee teachers and health professionals. Serving at public schools and health facilities in their towns and reporting them to the government.
The warning was delivered by the Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, at a meeting with stakeholders from the Sagbama Constituencies I, II, and III at the Government House in Yenagoa.
He restated the government’s prior warning that teachers and health personnel who fail to show up for work. Particularly in remote areas, will face disciplinary procedures, including salary forfeiture.
In a statement made by his media aide. Doubara Atasi, Ewhrudjakpo asserted that absentee employees and community leaders who dismissed the warning were to blame.
He stated that Governor Douye Diri’s government in Bayelsa was ready to change the narrative. In the education and health sectors. Emphasizing that “gone are the days when teachers and health workers would stay in the comfort of their homes. All days of the month to be paid.”
While admitting the need for increased staff in all sectors. Ewhrudjakpo noted that government employees must work in order to justify their monthly compensation.
According to the deputy governor, “Henceforth, in every community, the Amananaowei (paramount ruler), the CDC chairman, youth and women leaders will mark a register for all teachers posted to your community.
“At the end of the month, if a teacher does not come to work for up to 15 days, he or she will not have a salary for that month. The same applies to the health workers because if we don’t do that the available ones will be useless.
“We really want to encourage you to give us that list. If you don’t provide us with that list at the end of the month, we will know that you have also been bribed by the teachers who are posted to your community.
“So, if you come and tell us that there are no teachers in your community, we will first hold you responsible and make you pay the salaries of those ghost workers because you collected the salaries on their behalf.”
cc: Punch Ng
