By ABUBAKAR YUSUF.
For consecutive eight years, Kogi state civil servants both at the Local and State level had not had it so well, particularly when it comes to their welfare over the years.
The ugly development had brought the state civil service living on its past glory in all ramifications, from payment of salaries, allowances, arears, yearly incremental steps and also non adherence to payment of annual leave allowances along non implementation of promotions where there is any, for the past years.
This had moved the highly productive civil service in Kogi state to mere workforce, that take anything goes released by the state government as salaries and arears.
Some few years ago, the state workforce was subjected to many months of payment of half salaries, due to according to government circle , ‘shortfall’ that was not redeemed, as at the time of filling this report.
The civil service in Kogi state have been reduced to that set of people operating at the mercy of Bank loans and private money lending outlets, scattered around Lokoja and it’s environs with the popular one known as “Albarka” operating and thriving at the expense of the traumatized workforce with high percentage repayment rates.
Summarily , the state workforce who were hitherto the pride of the state economic activities and economy have been reduced to mere palliatives beneficiaries, and unwilling government succour with the workers mouthpiece, the state Labour Congress operating under the whims and caprices of the Kogi state government.
The local government administration is worst hit , as workers no longer go to offices at the Local Governments, an indication that council administration in Kogi state is now a thing of the past.
A visit to the state Secretariat and other government offices scattered around the state capital in Lokoja and the zonal offices , leave a soar situations, as workers are not only demoralized, but facilities completely dilapidated with workers who eventually were on duty seen in clusters discussing personal issues, that affected their welfare and that of their families.
With specific visit to the Commissioner for Sports and Youth Development at the State Secretariat, Lokoja, an inquiry about the Commissioner and the Permanent Secretary was confirmed that they are only around for crucial issues, as the Commissioner operated from his residence, while the Permanent Secretary attends meetings on invitation, with even the facilities in the offices wearing a sorry looks, a situation prevalent in all the Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Kogi state.
For Kogi civil servants, there was no official arrangements and engagements with the workforce on the palliatives for special wages on subsidy removal , let alone other palliatives that was recently introduced for political exigency.
As at press time, the arears of salary payment as a result of ‘shortfall’ was not revisited, no concerted efforts to pay eight years arears of leave bonuses, yearly incremental steps, promotions, with lack of trainings and retrainings, workers development staring at the face of Kogi workers over the years.
Many have been compulsorily retired and due for retirement within the period under review from work, with no efforts at payment of gratuities, more of pension benefits, as pensioners who served the state to the best of their abilities, were been paid percentage pension allowances on monthly basis.
The stagnation both in promotions, salary payment and workers development had become the other of the day and recurring decimal, that most of the Kogi workers had resorted to self help through engaging in farming, menial jobs, trading, Okada riding worsened by the removal of subsidy, that had reduced going to offices to once or twice in a week, with the state government unperturbed by the declining productivity of workforce and performance.
Written By Yusuf A Public Affairs Analyst, and Media Consultant from Abuja.
