By Ezrel Tabiowo
Abuja
In a bid to cushion the sufferings of Kogi State civil servants as a result of non-payment of about two years salaries to them, Senator Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi West) yesterday mobilised his colleagues to donate 1, 265 bags of rice to the workers.
Melaye, who briefed newsmen on the development in Abuja, said the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, led the donors with 100 bags of rice.
According to him, the donations were made in response to his call on colleagues to assist in cushioning the effect of hardship the civil servants who were yet-to-be paid their salaries for over 22 months.
Melaye, who was visibly angry about the non-payment of the civil servants’ salaries, said: “Gentlemen, you are aware of acute hardship in Kogi state workforce now due to over 22 months of non-payment of salaries.
“At our level, we will continue to do our best to assist where necessary particularly that the situation has led to suicides across the state now.”
He said it was necessary that he informed his colleagues about the hardships orchestrated by the present administration of Governor Yahaya Bello, stressing that the spate of suicide witnessed in the state was a result of hardship experienced by the workers.
The lawmaker had earlier raised Order 42 of the Senate Standing Rule during plenary to draw the attention of the Upper House to the “pitiable situation of civil servants in Kogi state” and called for the urgent intervention of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, in rescuing the situation.
A Director in the State Civil Service, Mr. Edward Soje, allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in Lokoja, the state capital, barely 10 days after his wife of 17 years gave birth to a set of triplets in Abuja.
