Controversy trails Kogi’s bailout funds

AN air of controversy is surrounding the release of Kogi State bailout funds with the state government, All Progressives Congress and workers trading accusations.

The state government through the Chief Communications Manager to the Governor, Mr. Phrank Shaibu urged President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of moral duty remember that he is leader for all Nigerians, and not allow himself to be swayed by those it referred to as desperate politicians creating difficulties for civil servants in the state.

The state government was reacting to statements allegedly credited to the APC gubernatorial candidate Prince Abubakar Audu and his running mate James Abiodun Faleke at a campaign rally that they have prevailed on the president not to release the bailout funds to Kogi State.

And the state amalgamation of workers has revealed their plan to protest and block the highways in the state over the impasse, which has prevented them from receiving their salary arrears.

The withholding of the money was also the issue yesterday during the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) Kogi State Council 6th Quadrennial State delegates Conference at its secretariat in Lokoja.
Chairman of the Union Comrade Onuh Edoka reiterated the fact that the workers were now impatient with the politics that has taken over what ordinarily was meant to assuage the suffering of workers especially at the Local Government levels in the State.

According to Edoka, “On the bail out funds, workers’ patience in Kogi State have been over stretched, hence we at MHWUN are adding our voice to that of other unions to call on the Federal Government to order the CBN to release the fund without further delay.

The chairman, Public Service Negotiation Council, Comrade Akeji Yusuf Aaron said about two weeks ago the organized labour in Kogi State organized a press conference where an ultimatum was issued that within two weeks if the bailout was not released to Kogi State workers in Kogi State they would be mobilised to demonstrate against the non release of the bailout funds.

Today on behalf of the organized Labour in Kogi State I am still re-echoing that plan that we have not stopped the plan and I say it sincerely that the bail out is not a gift for Kogi State, the State must pay back and if other States have received theirs why has that for Kogi State been withheld?
“Kogi State workers are asking the Federal Government to release that bail out to give a king of succour to the workforce in the State.”

Shaibu on behalf of the state government continued, “What kind of desperation will make a man to callously and viciously wage war against the release of resources meant for the people of his state,” Shaibu queried.
“The Kogi State Government is of the firm belief that the bail out fund is only a loan and not a presidential benevolence. This matter is not a personality contest between Governor Idris Wada and the APC led government; it is strictly about constitutionalism and the rule of law. While the state government will always accord the highest respect to the exalted office of the President, it will not compromise its principled stand on the rights of its citizens in the Nigerian federation, especially when it is being machinated by some desperate politicians from Kogi state for selfish reasons.”

He called on President Buhari to as a matter of exigency order the release of the said funds so that the state could meet its obligations to its workers, emphasising that the eyes of the world are on Nigeria as far as the case is concerned.
“For one, the President has consistently stressed the role of morality in governance and there can be nothing more immoral than the willful deprivation of the right of our civil servants whose allowances and emoluments have remained unpaid owing to the economic downturn,” Shaibu added.