…Says Bayelsa govt received N115 billion from FAAC in 3 months

By Emem Idio, Yenagoa

The Bayelsa State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Maxwell Ebibai, has said that the Governor Douye Diri-led administration will always remain accountable and committed to building Legacy projects, hence the embarking on projects with adequate funding plan to completion.

Speaking at the Transparency Briefing for the months of October, November and December, 2024, Mr. Ebibai, disclosed that the state government received over N115billion from the Federation Account Allocation, FAAC, within the period, noted that the state government was funding its various ongoing projects and is working hard not to leave behind abandoned projects.

Giving a breakdown of receipt from FAAC, Ebibai said the state government received N26billion in October, N37billion in November and N52 billion in December before statutory deductions.

He emphasized that all projects under the Prosperity Government are meticulously planned, ensuring that funds are available for their completion before they are even initiated.

The finance commissioner noted that capital payments for government projects are released periodically based on certification, ensuring that no project is stalled due to lack of funds.

He further explained that the administration has deliberately created savings to cover outstanding certificates when they become due, preventing financial constraints from hindering progress.

Ebibai stated that the Diri led government is focused on embarking on projects that are not only necessary but also carefully structured within a broader development framework and assured that by the end of the administration, there would be no abandoned projects in Bayelsa.

His words:”The governor has always reiterated and emphasized at different points that the projects of prosperity government are planned in a manner that the state will have the capacity to complete these projects and we won’t have abandoned projects.

“You see periodic heavy capital payment when certificates are presented. Our own certificate are not yet due. There are saving to take care of those certificate when they are presented because we are planning for the completion of those projects to ensure that those projects are completed.

“So the government of Senator Douye Diri, as governor of Bayelsa State is very prudent in trying, not just in embarking on projects that cannot be completed, but projects that reasonably, he has planned for and knows how these projects will be completed.

“They are not just projects coming up like that but they are projects that are part of a puzzle and we are picking and completing the puzzle gradually bringing up projects that are very relevant and completing the puzzle. So we hope that by the end of the government, there will be no abandoned projects. They may be ongoing projects and there will likely be savings for those projects to be completed.”

The Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy,.Mrs Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, had earlier at the briefing told the media that the government will always remain accountable to Bayelsans and committed to building legacy projects.