The Bayelsa State government yesterday said it got N1.24 billion as its share of Federal Government’s bailout funds to states.

Deputy Governor John Jonah spoke in Yenagoa, the state capital, during the government’s income and expenditure briefing for January.

He said the money would be used to settle the backlog of salaries the eight local government areas were owing.
Jonah said the fund was available for collection before the December 2015 governorship election.

The deputy governor said the Federal Government refused to release the money because of the suspicion that Governor Seriake Dickson would use it for his re-election campaigns.

He said: “Yes, the money (N1.24 billion) has been transferred to us now. It was ready before the (governorship) election. They felt that if the money was given to us, we would use it for the election.

“Even if you pay people, it is a morale booster; so, you will gain. But they stopped it.”