don88:
Beggar Meets Beggar: A Case Study of Kogi State
By Osobu Alex
The life of an every Nigerian is subjected to pains, squalor, poverty, wretchedness, diseases and insecurity in the hands of political leaders and industrialists in Nigeria. If administrative comparison is a course of administration where standard of living could be made a subject of life then, the life of an every Kogite (person from Kogi state, Nigeria) is worse than any other fellow Nigerian elsewhere.
The socio-economic life of these people is worse off when you consider the fact that Kogi state is a civil service state as there is little presence of industries which means majority draw their means of livelihood from the state Government. Pathetic enough, most of these workers have not been paid for well over a year hence, the flow of tears, pains, insecurity, murder, kidnap (ex- Director, DSS, Mike Ejifor kidnapped within Kogi state) and all sort of social vices necessitated by the fact that the economy of the state has been paralysed as a result of the never ending screening the state Government is carrying out in the state since the inception of this administration under Yahya Bello.
A man walked up to me and said: “please sir, can I have something from you ? my wife and children have not eaten since morning; I’m a civil servant with Kogi state but I have never been paid over a year and all my documents are intact but my name still appeared as un-cleared.” I looked at the time in my handset and the time is far spent but his wife and children are at home languishing without food since morning. Inhumane wickedness against humanity!
I have been calculating and cautious of how I spend money lately as I am an expectant father but at that moment I forgot my problem and drastically reduced the amount of fuel I wanted to buy which the price has also skyrocketed as the whole drama took place in a filling station which I also know is a strategic location for the Kogi state civil servant turned beggar by the inhumane policies of the state Government. I must also say this is not the first time people will approach me even outside Kogi state to beg for money but the Kogi scenario is pathetic and painful because a father of a Household who is forcefully turned beggar because he could not draw his salary for over a year and he goes to work every working day!
Without jumping into conclusion, I asked questions and discovered that people who have worked for many years, some 28yrs and some left with few years to retirement were affected by this so called screening. I also discovered that some prominent lecturers even holding sensitive posts in their respective institutions were affected. More worrisome is the confirmed facts that parents are already withdrawing their children from schools as they could not afford food let alone tuition fee.
This is not to put up a lame argument that there are no ghost workers or there are no cases of forgery but could it be in this proportion? More so, in making the state a better place and ghost- worker free is a better decision and right step for the Governor but when it is done with ulterior motive of embezzlement then people should be ready to face the consequences when they are out of power!
Moreover, are there no other alternative means to carry out this screening and close it as soon as possible? Because I’m confused that the screening has lasted for one year and yet still on- going. Or will it be when everybody dies before we close it?
Power is transient, for those who refuse to leave power; power eventually left them, we can all learn from Marmar Gaddafi. A video went viral on social media where Kogi state Governor was bragging that the workers can go to Donald Trump as Obama as left power and that they could make noise he will never listen to them. No wonder Baron Acton said; “power corrupt absolute power corrupt absolutely and the rich are likely the most wicked.” Personally, I think that falls short of a good leader, no matter what a good leader must listen to their subjects.
Therefore, it’s time the Kogi state Governor listened to his people as leaders are meant for both the good and bad people within a political space. It is however pertinent to note that Yahya Bello has done good which I have seen and those that use to drive through Okene-Lokoja road must have also seen that he has repaired the road only that the cost of the billboards announcing the palliative measures is almost equal to the cost of repairs if there is no literary interpretation. And this is in the midst of billion of naira of bail-out fund disbursed by Federal Government.
In conclusion, I will admonish the Governor to quickly address the welfare of the civil servants before they are all dead and somebody somewhere will wallop their entitlements. More so, the destruction done to Lokoja should be addressed in no distance time as all the roundabouts where pulled down on the basis of witchcraft-ism and Okene-Kabba road is also in serious need of your palliative measures.
God bless Kogi God bless Nigeria. Osobu S.Alexander donalexander88@yahoo.com