By Samuel Oyadongha

Yenagoa— Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, yesterday, said his administration had not borrowed a kobo since its assumed office, despite the reported debt profile of the state by the Debt Management Office.

The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secrtary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, argued that while the substantive figures in the document by Debt Management Office were correct, it was an inherited burden which the state government had made much effort to reduce to a bearable level, even amidst the challenges of meeting the financial requirements of running the administration.

The government noted the fundamentals of the report, but pointed out that beyond the perceived huge IGR, responsibilities of government in the state were equally large.

The governor added that the repayment of debt had been on-going, having established the total debts inherited from the previous administrations, as concerted efforts were being made to liquidate the remaining part of the debt.

He said: “We noted the relative figures in the report, which suggested concern but the reality is that the debts were solely inherited and we have made much efforts to reduce it significantly. The Dickson administration has not borrowed a kobo since assumption of office as we have rather been saving money to finance development programmes and we can see the results so far.”