{"id":3770,"date":"2019-11-15T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-11-15T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/?p=3770"},"modified":"2019-11-16T13:34:02","modified_gmt":"2019-11-16T12:34:02","slug":"fact-checking-claims-on-bayelsas-population-and-finances","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dubawa.org\/dir\/fact-checking-claims-on-bayelsas-population-and-finances\/","title":{"rendered":"Fact-checking Claims On Bayelsa\u2019s Population And Finances"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In the build-up to the November 16 gubernatorial election in Bayelsa state, claims and counterclaims have continued to trail media conversations; with party loyalists promoting their flagbearers in a bid to garner the highest number of votes from the electorate, at the poll.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notable among these, is a claim on  Bayelsa\u2019s population, allocation and the effect on unpaid salaries. The Twitter user<\/a>, who made the claims, questioned the fact that Bayelsa\u2019s government owes a nine-month salary amidst having the highest allocation in the country- N66.76bn. He further based this argument on the apparent population of the state; the same population size as Alimosho local government area of Lagos state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The statement was premised on the state government\u2019s response to a claim<\/a> by the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees; that it currently owes council workers in the state 16 months\u2019 salary arrears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Does the Bayelsa government owe nine-month salaries to local government workers?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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It is hard to know for sure, consequent on the lack of transparency and uniformity in the salary payment system set in place- across LGAs in the state.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Findings show Bayelsa state does not have a unified salary distribution system amongst its various local government areas (LGAs). Owing to this, the salary arrears in different LGAs will vary, according to Nathan Nwakama- NAN Journalist. He further added that the payment of salaries was up to the individual LG chairman; that is after funds are received from the state. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat 16 may be accurate for some local governments… So, if they are owing 7 months\u2019 salary arrears in a local government, it could 8, 10 or 12 in another local government\u201d<\/p>Nathan Nwakama- Journalist from the News Agency of Nigeria (Bayelsa)<\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Hence, people could take advantage of the lack of uniformity in the salary distribution system for political reasons; such as admitting the least indebtedness, particularly with less than a week for the state to go to the poll. This discrepancy makes it cumbersome to accurately ascertain the truth. For all intents and purposes, the government could be owing 16-month salary or 5, we would not know. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Does Bayelsa have the same population as Alimosho LG?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Alimosho is the most populated Local Government Area (LGA) in the country, according to available records. Yet, it is still smaller in size than Bayelsa state.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Normally, we would refer to the nations population census. This would contain details of Nigeria\u2019s population with a breakdown of states and local governments\u2019 contributions. However, the last census was conducted in 2006.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hence, for this fact-check, we utilized data compiled from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)<\/a>, the National Population Commission (NPC)<\/a> and City Population<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The data show Bayelsa state had a population of 1.7 million in 2006 when the last population census was conducted. This is higher than 1.31 million population recorded in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, with Bayelsa\u2019s annual population growth rate of 2.9%, (based on the 2006 population census), the state\u2019s population was projected to have hit 2.27 million in 2016. This is as against- Alimosho- estimated to have a population of 1.81 million people in the same year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Is Bayelsa’s Federal Allocation The Fourth Highest?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Bayelsa received the fourth highest allocation in the country, at least for most of this year. However, the N66.76 billion allegedly received by Bayelsa could not be verified.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are three major ways states raise money excluding special grants from local or international sources. <\/h5>\n\n\n\n