The Bayelsa State Government says it has no regret for removing ghost names and fake workers who came into its public service through dubious means.

Mr Daniel Iworiso-Markson, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, stated this at Oporoma, headquarters of the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area during the grand finale of the town hall meeting of the state government public sector reforms.

The commissioner also described the various town hall meetings as a huge success, adding that no amount of blackmail would truncate the process, stressing that those crying foul of the reforms are people who were benefiting from the bastardised public service.

He reassured genuine workers of improved welfare, he debunked rumours making the rounds that government would scrap the Rural Development Authorities (RDAs) established by previous administration.

His words, “There is no such plan. We have repeatedly assured our genuine workers that the reforms would not adversely affect any of them. But it’s a human system, so if any one of them is inadvertently affected in any way, he or she should approach the complaints desk. And I can assure you that the mistake will be rectified immediately. That is the directive from His Excellency, the Governor. But for those workers, who came into the service through the back door and those of them who used fake certificates, we have no apology for removing their names from the payroll because it’s the right thing to do.

“They have no business in the service. And it will surprise you to know that it is the people who have been defrauding the government over the years that are making the loudest noise.”

He lauded the chiefs and people of Southern Ijaw for coming out in their numbers for the meeting and for the support they have been given to the Governor Seriake Dickson-led administration right from its inception.

Mr. Iworiso-Markson, assured that government would give some preferential treatment to the area in terms of number slots in the ongoing recruitment of 1000 graduates in view of its size both in population and landmass.