Bayelsa Govt wage bill hits N13bn monthly

The Bayelsa State Government says its monthly salary obligations to civil servants, political appointees and retirees stands at N14 billion monthly.

Mr Timipre Seipolu, Technical Adviser to Gov Douye Diri on Treasury and Account said this while giving a breakdown of the state’s income and expenditure for the months of March and April at the treasury building in Yenagoa.

He noted that in April, salary for civil servants gulped N7.74 billion, while salary arrears took N428.66 million, political appointees payment was N1.95 billion.

According to Seipolu, gratuity payments to retired civil servants stood at N200 million in March, while pension arrears took N259.71 million.

“Grants to tertiary institutions: N2 billion. Salary arrears (right-sizing): N207.59 million. Salary contributions to local government for primary school teachers: N229 million. Youth Corpers allowances: N60.27 million. Minimum wage arrears: N50 million.

“The total of salary-related items which we have mentioned brings our total salary-related items to 13.0 billion,” Seipolu said.

He also said the gross revenue that accrued to Bayelsa in March 2026 was N42.3 billion.

Speaking earlier, Mrs. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy said that accountability and transparency remained a fundamental policy of the Diri-led administration in Bayelsa.

She assured that the government is prudently managing the finances of the state and urged residents to visit project sites to see where the state puts accruing funds to work.

She said that the state is meeting its contractual obligations for ongoing projects.
NAN