What We Need to Know About Kogi Table Payment

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I fought so hard to restrain myself from commenting or writing on the lingering aberrations of table payments of civil servants in Kogi state but it will amount to great injustice to keep mute at such a critical time.
I will strive as much as I can not to ‘shake” the big table but let the truth be told:
1. After compelling civil servants to participate in a shady process of more than two years all in the name of staff verification and screening exercise, the state government finally resolved to pay civil servants via table payment.
2. In the course of the unending screening exercise, many genuine civil servants were tagged as ghost workers and were denied their entitlements. As a result, many of them died from untold hardship; some servants could not afford their hospital bills, few others committed suicide while some servants died by accident transiting to or from Lokoja the venue of the screening.
3. Table payment is the biggest scam of the century. In an era of TSA and BVN what is the sole reason for embracing this shaming mode of payment?
4. Who are the eligible civil servants to be paid?
5. What is now the fate of civil servants who were illegitimately sacked as a result of the initial screening?
6. Signatures can easily be forged through table payment. For instance, 10 civil servants may be paid in reality while 199 may be documented hence this process is fraudulent in a digital era.
7. Unfortunately, Kogi state chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress is mute. It is either they are accomplice of the scheme or beneficiaries without options.
8. For justice to prevail, the whole process MUST be monitored by an independent body with proven records of accountability.
9. Funds were allocated and expended for the purpose of the exercise. Does it mean all the monies utilised have gone down the drain due to the illogical motives of the present leadership of Kogi state?
10. Monies wasted for this unending screening would have helped in the payment of salaries without stress.
No doubts, many civil servants will applaud the scheme because alas they can now heave a sigh of relief but how transparent is the process?
For how long will it continue?
Who are the beneficiaries?
Let the truth be told.
Any ‘hailer’ who is interested in the subject matter should be ready to defend this trending limitation of the ‘New Direction’ government with facts.
Table payment is archaic. Salaries MUST be paid but adopting a fraudulent mode of payment is another mocking bid to siphon funds. We are watching.
Justice MUST prevail!
– Ajogwu Ochada
Convener, Kogi Youth Advocates of Good Governance

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