The Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, while reacting to President Muhammadu Buhari’s claim that the nation was in a difficult financial situation, has urged people of the state to prepare for harsh financial era in the state.
The governor made the call at a meeting with the newly appointed Special Advisers at the Government House, Yenagoa, and was contained in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, on Thursday.
Dickson observed that the way out of the present economic situation was diversification of the economy.
He affirmed, “Already, you are all aware of the statement by the President that our country is in a very dire financial situation. That comment has attracted a lot of criticisms, but I agree with the President that Nigerians are entitled to know the true state of the economy.
“Investors who want to do business in Nigeria are entitled to know the true state of our economy. Let me use this opportunity to call on all Bayelsans to listen to what the President has said that the entire country is broke.
“He has made us to understand that the financial situation that we are managing is a national phenomenon. It is not peculiar to Bayelsa.
Dickson further added, “For the allocation of last month, the Federation Account Allocation Committee could not meet until the past month because they didn’t have money to share to the states and even when they met for the first time since I took over as governor, states have started getting zero allocation.
“I don’t know why people are blaming the President for saying that our country is broke, because that is the truth about the economy. States can’t pay salaries; we can’t meet our basic responsibilities. I can’t pay allowances to myself and my staff.
“However, even in the midst of that, we are managing to pay salaries. Even in this terrible month, we’ve directed that by Monday salaries of workers should be paid.”
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