The Kogi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the state government to make workers’ welfare a priority and halt the spate of industrial strife in the state.
This was contained in a statement issued yesterday in Lokoja by the PDP state Publicity Secretary, Mr. Bode Ogunmola.
The statement was in reaction to the indefinite strike embarked on by the workers in protest against non payment of salary and other related issues.
The Director-General on Media and Publicity to the state governor, Mr. Kingsley Fanwo, has, however, described the strike as a failure, insisting that the workers did not comply with labour’s directive.
According to Ogunmola: “With the volume of cash inflow to the state through monthly allocations, Paris Club refunds, Bailout Fund, IGR, among others; it (Kogi) shouldn’t have any business with unpaid salaries, if its handlers were prudent.
“A situation where the governor and his coterie of largely unproductive political appointees display ostentatious wealth while civil servants wallow in naked penury, is condemnable, to say the least.”
He urged the government to urgently address the workers’ grievances and refrain from the “tyrannical temptation to criminalise or politicise a worthy engagement.”
He cautioned the government to be guided by its recent experience with Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) members of the state-owned university in Anyigba and asked it to tread softly on the issue.
