The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade
Union Congress (TUC) say Kogi workers have been
reduced to beggars by virtue of being owed salaries
and allowances “for a period of three to twenty-two
months”.
The unions expressed shock on the suicide of Edward
Soje, a director in the state civil service.
Soje, whose wife recently welcomed triplets,
committed suicide after being owed 11 months salary.
“Workers are walking the streets of Lokoja like beggars
because their salaries and allowances have not been
paid for a period of three to twenty-two months by the
government,” the state TUC and NLC said in a joint
statement.
The statement signed by Olakunle Faniyi and Kolawole
James, state secretaries of NLC and TUC, called on
the Kogi government to publish the names and the
amount being owed cleared workers and pensioners in
the past 21 months.
‘MANY WORKERS, PENSIONERS HAVE DIED’
Onu Edoka, state chairman of the NLC, has appealed
to workers in Kogi State not to see suicide as a way
out of the current hardship imposed on them as a
result of non-payment of their salaries.
He said the wife of the director who committed suicide
had not yet been informed of his demise.
NAN reports that a source close to the family said a
team of pastors and relations who visited her at an
Abuja hospital to break the news were advised by the
management against it due to her state of health.
Edoka said many workers and pensioners had died
due to non-payment of their salary and pensions by
the state government.
According to him, many workers in the state have had
their ailments aggravated as a result of lack of salary.
He said high blood pressure and diabetes had become
common among them.
Edoka said organised labour had started compiling
statistics of workers and pensioners that have lost
their lives in the last one year, adding that figures of
victims would soon be made public.
The NLC chairman called on President Muhammadu
Buhari to come to the aid of workers in Kogi by
sending foods, drugs and other relief materials to them
through the National Emergency Management Agency.
He also pleaded with the presidency to set up a fact
finding committee to come and ascertain the true
situation of things with workers in the state.
The chairman expressed displeasure with the state
government for taking to the pages of newspapers to
publish the names of workers and their salaries.
He explained that the figures quoted by the
government was not correct and urged the governor to
invite the workers to the negotiation table.
PRAYERS FOR KOGI
Bayo Adelaja, a reverend at the Redeemed Christian
Church of God (RCCG), Lokoja has urged Kogi people
to fervently pray for the state to enable it surmount its
present challenges.
Adelaja, who made the call while delivering a sermon;
‘God’s hand on the city’’ in Lokoja on Sunday, noted
that there was the need for prayers following so many
unpleasant happenings in the state.
According to him, everyone must pray against every
satanic formation for God to intervene in the affairs of
the state.
He said there were so many issues surrounding the
state, and urged Christians to be very prayerful during
the ember period.
TheCable
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