The new direction government of Alhaji Yahaya Bello has since inception faced criticism in every of its step and policy from the general public, organised labour, opposition party and a parallel faction of the ruling APC. But, in a way, it tends to always have a way of putting its criticisms under carpet. It is however interesting to note that, issues relating to salary and wages have always been its way of diverting public attention from trending criticisms.
Therefore, with the completion and public hearing of the staff verification exercise, the New direction government has reached the floodgate of its excuses, staff starvation, industrial face offs, over bloated ego and discontent from the plight of striking labour unions.
After confirming the release of twenty billion Naira bailout fund for salary back log of civil servants and past political office holders, the government managed to stay hold of the money based on the inconclusiveness of staff verification exercise which the organised labour resisted through prolonged strike in almost all state owned institutions. The face off snowballed into a parallel disagreement until Student Unions embarked on a protest action that shut down Lokoja, the state capital for almost a whole day. While it is disheartening for the government to have been so insensitive to the length of letting students take to the street, aftermath of the students action saw to a speedy negotiation between the government and the state university ASUU.
Kogites will agree that while the state government is claiming to have paid four month salary arrears to already cleared civil servants, many still wallow in abject poverty and starvation never witnessed before since the history of the state. At times like this, Capt Wada, the immediate past governor of the state shall be remembered as a messiah for logically speaking, percentage salary which he was characterized to is far better than monthly zero percent all in the name of verification. He wasn’t just paying percentage salary alone, he left behind about three month salary allocation. A legacy that should have ordinarily cleansed the way for the incumbent government.
I will say, what the new direction government lacks in managing a state as Kogi is adequate touch with the people, cross examination of ideas and sincere advice. Kogi is rich in terms of human and perception resource, experienced politicians and exposed youth leaders. But, the choice of those who make up the advisory counsel of the governor may be responsible for the daily undermining fortunes of the golden opportunity God granted his Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello. Though, it may not be completely true, what we have in Kogi is a mirror image of a government structured with inexperienced hands. Only time will justify the reality.
It is pertinent to note that, severe hardship, joblessness, lack of recreation and low business/market activities are responsible for the sudden high rate of kidnapping, crimes and social immorality taking place in a state I will ordinarily assume as the most secured and descent state of the federation. Hence, the government must hasten distribution of the twenty billion Naira bailout fund and payment of genuine workers across the state. The verification is an applaud worthy exercise if and only if, there is true meaning to the facts and figures publicly presented. While I commend the bold step taken, the government too, must not ignore the will power of the perpetrators of “ghost workers” as they may even in silence channel their energy into sabotaging the process in fulfillment of their selfish desire and ambitions.
With the pockets of many sized, abyss poverty taking over the state, pending court cases to be ruled and criticisms coming from factions of the ruling APC, the new direction government may not stand the test of time if all this continues. It is even pathetic that people are beginning to doubt the true intent of this government as its online team and sycophancy forces tend to be stronger and more effective than the government’s promise of a better life to kogites. A strategy that will hunt back in no distant time if the hardship continues after this public hearing of the staff verification exercise.
At this point, let it be placed on record that the government of the day is not the popular wish of the people, but a beneficiary of divine occurrence. More so, democracy is deepening in Nigeria. Irrespective of tribe, religion and party, the people are becoming more concerned, more enlightened and ready to move toward the direction of better welfare and social development. Thus, if the present economic reality is anything to go by, the New direction government will not stand the chance of been returned in the event of a fresh election as I exclusively envisage. So, the beneficiaries of this government should bear in mind and if possible inform appropriate quarters that, in the end-the name calling will be only “Bello” just as “Wada” was called alone.
– Comrade A. M. Nasir
