Dickson Denies Ex-SSA’s ‘Non-Payment Of Salaries, Intimidation’ Claims

Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State on Thursday denied owing his former Senior Special Assistant on non-indigenes, Chief Chinedu Mba, one year salary arrears and allowances.

In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Treasury and Accounts, Mr. Timipre Seipulou, the governor described his former aide as an ingrate and mole, calling on members of the public to ignore him.

Mba recently resigned his appointment, citing among other reasons non-payment of salaries and allowances, daily intimidation and harassment from the office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and confiscation of his official car.

But Dickson described the claims as false, malicious and a well calculated attempt to impugn on his reputation.

According to him, the government has always lived up to its financial obligations to workers and was “not owing any of his aides including Mbah”.

He said: “available financial records reveal that Mbah was paid his remunerations to date just like any other political appointee in the state before his purported claim of resignation.

“Mbah is only acting the script of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and particularly for his master and former Chief of Staff to Governor Dickson and now an APC governorship aspirant, Chief Dikivie Ikiogha, who recommended him for appointment.

“Going by the facts on ground, it is clear that it is only a desperate and ungrateful man that can make such malicious claims”.

Gov. Dickson, who is seeking re-election, said the claims were politically motivated and a deliberate attempt to smear the good image of his government.

He, however, said the government was not perturbed by Mbah’s resignation, adding that the former aide had since crossed to the APC with his master and benefactor.Dic