A clergyman, Rev. T. Y Emmanuel, has urged the Bayelsa government to clear outstanding backlog of salaries owed to workers in the state to avert the wrath of God.

The cleric gave the advice on Thursday during a Church Service to commemorate the first anniversary of Governor Seriake Dickson’s second tenure in office.

Emmanuel who was the guest preacher at the thanksgiving service as part of the weeklong activities to mark Dickson’s fifth anniversary advised the governor to take solace in God.

“God is angry when you don’t pay workers. God has asked me to tell you that the hired servants should be properly paid,” he said.

He said the assignment given by God to public leadership was for a purpose and the purpose was to serve God and benefit mankind.

Emmanuel who titled his sermon ‘Make God Your Refuge’ quoted copiously from various books in the Bible including Psalm 127, James 5:1-5 and Deuteronomy 24:14-15 to illustrate his sermon.

The clergyman said it was important for the government to appreciate the essence of God's purpose for instituting government authority for mankind.

“When God gives a man leadership, there is an assignment he wants to fulfill, every government is of God, though it might have human mistakes.

“The cries of the hired servants have come to God and God has heard them, misapplication of riches is what poses danger, we need wisdom from God to function,” he added.

In his remarks, Governor Dickson said his re-election for second tenure in office was tough but he emerged victorious because God’s hand was upon him.

He said his government was making efforts within the limited resources available and would take steps to enhance the welfare of its workforce.

Dickson said that government had achieved so much in the first one year of his second term in the areas of infrastructure, education, health and agriculture, among others.

“Our dreams are so high that you can’t even use a ladder to see. In the midst of recession, we are building the best schools, roads, hospitals in the state,” Dickson said.

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