Kogiflame.com
The Citizens for A Better Kogi State, a coalition of retired civil servants, have condemned in strong terms the alleged release of N30 billion bailout to the administration of governor Yahaya Bello, insisting that the action is partiality and injustice taken too far without recourse to the plight of Kogi workers.
The group in a statement signed by Usman Nagirgi, President of the Group, frowned at the gross display of partiality that has been displayed by the Buhari administration, said having applied for the bailout in 2015 by the immediate past PDP administration, lamented that despite meeting all conditions, the APC led administration for political reasons denied the release of the funds.
Nagirgi pointed out that, shortly after Capt Idris Wada left office the sum of N20 billion was released to his successor, lamented that workers were still not paid, are still owed in arrears for upwards of thirty eight months for some categories of civil servants, thus turning workers to beggars on the streets, in some cases workers saw committing suicide as an option.
The group described the administration of governor Bello as inept and directionless, expressed worries that the good intention the past PDP administration had for the workers would be misplaced as the present bailout like what happened to the first tranche may also not be used for the purposes intended.
Nagirgi berated governor Bello’s administration as one that cannot be trusted with bailouts, having taken so much as statutory allocations, bailout, Paris club refunds in the past three and half years with nothing to show for it, apart from unimaginable debt burden on the state.
Nagirgi pointed out that the last three and a half years of Yahaya Bello’s administration has been bedevilled by misery, poverty and hunger in the state, says he fears that the money would be squandered on the alter of politics and the forthcoming coming November governorship election.
Releasing the money to Gov. Bello, Nagirgi observed has further confirmed the insensitivity of the federal government led APC administration towards the plight of Kogi people, wondered how the bailout would be released to the governor despite the public outcry of how the initial funds were squandered.
The group urged that workers at the local government level be given a priority in the payment of their salaries, pointing out that the N50.8billion bailout he applied for by his administration had N45billion meant for workers at the local areas.
Nagirgi urged the civil servants and pensioners in the state to insist that their salaries and allowances owed them be paid to the last kobo, described the Gov. Bello’s administration as inept and directionless, cannot be trusted with bailouts, having taken so much in the past without anything to show for it, apart from unimaginable debt burden on the state.
He pointed out that, the last three and a half years of Yahaya Bello’s administration has been bedevilled by misery, poverty and hunger in the state, commended former governor Idris Wada for his pro activeness in applying for the bailout to cushion the hardship of workers occasion by drastic drop in revenue allocation to States.
The group described the the administration of former Governor Wada as one that made workers welfare cardinal, assured that it has no doubt that if he is elected he would ensure that the payment of salaries remains his priority.
