TheCable

Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi central, says the people of Kogi are living in perilous times.

Melaye said this on the floor of the senate on Wednesday while drawing the attention of the legislators to the plight of Kogi workers who have not been paid salaries for months.

Appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the situation, the senator said as a representative of the people, he could not remain quiet over the matter.

He also said the workers were owed up to 21 months salaries arrears.

“This morning with a bleeding heart I bring to the notice of the Nigerian senate, the very pitiable situation of civil servants in Kogi state. Mr President in my state we live in perilous times. The social media and the newspapers have been awash few days with the unfortunate incident of the civil servant who committed suicide,” Melaye said.

“Upon receiving the information that his wife gave birth to triplets – he is owed 11 months salaries – when he heard this good news, he took his life by hanging himself. This story is all over. Another civil servant was seen crying because he could not provide N3,000 for drugs for his sick child. Unfortunately, the child died. This is two out of hundreds incidents in Kogi state.

“Mr President, as representatives of the people, we cannot keep quiet when such is happening in one of the 36 states of the federal republic of Nigeria. If you take Kogi state out Nigeria there cannot be a Nigeria.

“As I speak to you, workers are being owed between 16 and 21 months. The president of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday did a national press conference and said – appealing to Nigerians – it is in news today, he is calling on Nigerians to please give civil servants relief materials.”