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It is obvious that Kogi governor’s gesture towards a road side seller of sugar cane is the best acceptable Humanitatian conducts to mitigate the poverty ridden family of the Abuja based hawker, whose survival lies on her meagre turn over from the proceeds of Sugar Cane.What a good riddance by Kogi Governor.
But when juxtapose not only the home base Kogi workers,but to those in the liason offices of Lagos,Abuja and Kaduna, who in the last six months have been battling with percentage salaries,the reverse is the case.
This is not to talk about the personal security aides attached to the governor who could not access ordinary allowances in the last one year, under the guise of paucity of funds from the state government.
If not recently when the state Commissioner for finance confirm percentage salaries for state workers by paying full salaries in September ,Kogi Governor said he was not aware of the developement, that had taken six months old.
It is also obvious that Governor Yahaya Bello may not even be aware of non- payment of domestic security and staff allowances of his office since August last year.
But the irony of the whole drama,is the same security aides and others denied of basic allowances, supervised the good riddance of the Governor towards the sugar cane woman.
At the back of their minds,Kogi governor paying workers percentage salaries and denying security and domestic staffs more than one year allowances,is robbing Peter to pay Paul.
In my own opinion,give Ceaser what belongs to Ceaser and to others what belongs to them,extending succour and charity to the downtrodden like Madam sugar cane, is not out of place,but in doing it, ensure the immediate people in your environment were also happy to drive home your genuine Love.
It is high time,the state governor honour it’s promise to pay full salaries to Kogi workers by the end of September to avoid any renege.
Payments of all other commitments of the state government towards it’s staffers will also speak well rather than resorting to threat of termination,sack or reprimand.
Usman Okai Austin
Writes from Abuja
