Governor Dickson Sets up Probe Panel Over Fraud in Bayelsa

Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state has set up a 9-man judicial commission of inquiry to probe the falsification of the state government payroll and other accounts.

Governor Dickson, in a statement by his media aide, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, on Saturday, said the measure was part of his efforts to sanitize the civil service and entrench
corporate governance in the state.
The probe panel which was inaugurated on Saturday is headed by Justice Doris Adokeme while one Mr Victor Slaboh was appointed as secretary.

The commission has two months to conclude its assignment which equally entails investigation into payroll fraud in the eight local government areas in the state.
Punch reports that Governor Dickson charged members of the panel to also uncover the person or persons, cartel or gang involved in the suspected fraudulent distortion of the payroll and nominal roll of public servants from 2003 till date.

He stated that, “the commission is expected, among other things, to reveal the identities of the perpetrators of the suspected fraudulent falsification of salaries in ministries, departments and agencies of government as well as determine, where possible, the exact amount of government money that may have been lost through the criminal activity.”
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Labour Congress, Bayelsa State branch, has said that though the probe panel was a step in the right direction, it should, however, not be used as a witch-hunt against genuine workers.