Inhabitants of Kogi State and indeed Nigerians has been thrown into unnecessary arguments, following the news making round that the executive Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello ordered 17% salary payment to local government workers within the state.
Well, the development sounds impossible to many, but screenshots from those affected were released into the public glare, and that confirmed the unacceptable decision from the Governor who’s hell-bent nursing a Presidential ambition.
It’s on this note that a Kogi born political Activist, popularly known as Comrade Usman Okai Austin, issued a daring advise to Governor Yahaya Bello of State, sketching the need to handle Kogi Funds with outmost sincerity even as the Governor nurses his Presidential ambition.
Okai who has been on loggerheads with Bello led Administration in the state was quoted as saying, “The Governor must be honest in handling resources belonging to Kogi state, stressing that nothing justifies paying officers on level Nine (9) N6000 and N3000 as a Monthly salary without being on loan”
Comrade Okai, makes this known during an interview in his Abuja resident, the activist argued that, the disclosure and the need to remind the Governor is imperative following the ongoing haphazard payment to some workers at the state and local government levels.
The activist who has been a strong voice, correcting the ills of Bello led Administration in the state for years said, Citizens in Kogi State have every right to the financial position of the state, positing that Yahaya Bello is technically giving them the impression that he’s siphoning the money for his Presidential ambition.
Though, it’s unfortunate the people of Kogi are not lucky with expecting exemplary honesty and accountability in the management of state resources, not even from a governor who claimed religious uprightness, but he should at least have human sympathy in his dealings, because he will be held accountable one day. Okai explodes.
In kogi state, the civil servants are stagnated for years without promotions, the Governor started with zero salary, but after so much public outcry he commenced the payment of half salary and today he is paying what cannot be quantified.
Ordinarily, a govenor in this category should be pressurized to explain to the general public the rationale behind such abnormalities crippling the state and her economy, but nobody can dare that as NLC and other Union bodies in the state are living in fear, he continued.
While challenging the Govenor to justify reasons for what he termed “direct stealing” Okai called on other critical stakeholders in the state not to keep mute, and watch how things unfold negatively at this trying time of the state’s history. Adding that stakeholders shouldn’t wait for the election periods before making case for the citizens they offered themselves to serve.