Workers in Kogi state have called
on the state governor, Yahaya Bello to pay their outstanding salaries, saying
they are dying of hunger due to non-payment of salaries by his administration.
Kogi state chairman of the
Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Onuh Edoka, who spoke in Lokoja on behalf
of thousands of workers at the 40th anniversary of NLC, told the governor that
his policies are mostly anti workers.
He stated that the union is aware
of the premature retirement and termination of workers’ appointment by the
Bello administration.
According to him “Your excellency,
workers sitting here today said I should ask you where is our salary. As your
obedient servant, we are dying. As people who have contributed their quota in
Kogi state and has left the service, as pensioners we are dying.
“To this end, we wish to
compassionately appeal to you. We are aware that allocation came to Kogi state
last month and by the statement of the commissioner for finance, what came as
allocation to the state was put at N4.3billion and what came to local
governments was put at N3.8billion. To this end, up till this moment, no
salaries has been paid in Kogi state.
“We are already aware that as at
yesterday, FAAC meeting has already been held and over N638billion have been
shared and I know Kogi State government will have a share in it. Let our own
not drop into river Niger again.”
The state NLC chairman used the
event to speak on the alleged premature retirement of some workers,
proscription of labour unions and the ongoing industrial action embarked upon
by medical doctors in Kogi state.
“You will agree with me well that
appointment in this government has been done upside down, junior workers are
placed before their senior and the senior working under their junior.
“I will make it more clearer that
this government for the first time in the history of the state introduced what
they called percentage salaries to workers and pensioners.
“If civil service have been kept
in this form before the coming of this administration, the civil service would
have been in disarray.
“Medical doctors in Kogi state
have been on strike for over one month. Our mothers, children are dying at
home. For this obvious fact, we appeal to the state government to call our
doctors on a round table and bring this matter to a conclusive end.
“Why the Nigerian Labour Congress
(NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have not joined any issues of strike
is because we have come to the realization that strike may not be the solution
to our problems any more. It is all about the person who is the chief executive
and his state of mind on the development and welfare of workers.
“The proscription of unions in
Kogi state is completely detrimental to the progress of democracy, unacceptable
to Nigeria Labour Congress and completely illegal and we shall not stand by it
any more.
“We should have it at the back of
our mind that this voices that we are forcing to be silent today, time shall
come when you will no longer be in government and you will require us.
“We will speak for the voiceless
and the same voice will still speak again. We shall resist it with the last
drop of our blood to see that we will not be tamed in any form or turn beggars
in our own state” Comrade Edoka added.
Responding, the Kogi state
governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello said the ongoing fight against corruption across
the country would achieve greater success if the organised labour strengthens
itself and work with government to fish out corrupt officials.
Bello urged the organised labour
to, apart from its traditional role of fighting for the welfare of Nigerian
workers, always play the role of whistle blowers to assist government in
bringing to book corrupt officials in and outside the system.
The governor, who was represented
at the occasion by his Deputy Elder Simon Achuba, congratulated the organised
Labour for attaining the age of 40 and for its struggle over the years,
enjoining the leadership of the union to always stand for what is good for the
workers and the country.
He used the occasion to assure
Kogi workers that very soon salaries will be paid as at when due, while urging
them to continue to support the present administration of the state
He added that the difficulties
experienced by governors across the country regarding timely payment of
salaries would soon be over, urging civil servants to continue to pray and work
with government to achieve the feat.
On his part, the former Head of
Service of the state, Dr Moses Atakpa advised the organised labour to always
engage the government in dialogue, saying dialogue is the best way to resolving
crisis.
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