PUNCH NEWSPAPER

The transition committee of the All Progressives Congress in Bayelsa State will review and carry out a preliminary assessment of the balance sheet of the outgoing administration of Governor Seriake Dickson.

This was among 12 terms of reference handed the committee by the state governor-elect, David Lyon, during the inauguration of the committee at the APC secretariat in Yenagoa on Wednesday.

The 59-member committee is chaired by a former speaker of the state House of Assembly, Werinipre Seibarugu, while a former Head of Service, Obegha Oworibo, is the secretary.

The committee, in reviewing the state government’s balance sheet, was mandated to place emphasis on “the status and liabilities of government; cash flow position of the government, including specific x-raying on relationship with all banks and financial institutions.”

It would also consider “the quantum of public domestic and external debt of government and their deployment; government’s outstanding contractual obligations and its ability to meet such obligations; status of implementation of capital projects; status of budget performance (especially the current budget); and status of IGR and taxes.”

Other terms of reference include, “To interface with the outgoing administration for the purposes of smooth hand over/take over.

“To receive hand-over documents from ministries, departments and agencies;

“To analyse hand-over notes and identify, prioritise important or urgent issues confronting the in-coming government;

“Provide brief on civil service reforms carried out in the past seven years; workforce of core ministries, departments and agencies; recruitment/career appointments made and staff disposition records for the past four years.

“Provide brief on pension funds administration; note record of outstanding indebtedness on payment of gratuity and allowances to pensioners, and undertake a preliminary assessment of measures/framework used in tackling them.”