By Samuel Oyadongha

YENAGOA—Bayelsa State Government has released funds for the full payment of January salary of workers in the Niger Delta University in fulfilment of the agreement reached at a meeting to resolve the ongoing industrial dispute rocking the institution.

Announcing the release of the fund at a media briefing on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting in Yenagoa, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Jonathan Obuebite said government had also ordered the payment of civil servants salaries for the month of May, 2016.

According to the commissioner, government has since released funds for the payment of teachers’ January salaries and directed all accounting officers to ensure that workers including those in the Rural Development Areas were paid their May salaries without any delay.

He said Council called on the Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU, and other labour unions in the Niger Delta University to call off their strike action as he expressed government’s commitment to the welfare and development of the institution.

His words: “The Bayelsa State Government has met its agreement by releasing 100 percent of the January salary to ASUU, NASU and graduate assistants as requested by the unions. So as we speak, that payment has been made.

“We are all aware that NDU is our pet project as it is the only state-owned university. So, this government is committed to the welfare of the academic and non-academic staff as well as the students community of NDU. We want our students to return to school and pursue their academics.”