Following recent reports of suicides in Kogi State as a result of non-payment of workers by the state government, senators on Wednesday donated about 1,265 bags of rice to help alleviate their plight.
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, made the highest donation of 100 bags of rice, followed by the senator representing Kogi East, Atai Aidoko Ali, who donated 70 bags.
Other senators donated 50 bags and below, to demonstrate their sympathy with the suffering workers, whose pathetic condition has become a matter of national concern.
Recently, a Director in the Kogi State Civil Service, Edward Soje, allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself on a tree in Lokoja, the state capital.
Soje, a Grade Level 16 Officer in the Kogi State Teaching Service Commission, was being owed 11 months’ salary arrears as at the time he took his life, barely 10 days after his wife of 17 years gave birth to a set of male triplets.
The decision to make the sympathy donations by the legislators was triggered by a Point of Order raised by Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi State) during which he drew the attention of the chamber to the worsening state of Kogi workers, particularly with reference to recent incidences of deaths.
Melaye who came under Order 43, said that he was moved to brief the Senate on what he described as the pitiable state of Kogi workers, who were being owed salaries and other entitlements for between 16 and 21 months.
He told the lawmakers that the non-payment of salaries was a major cause of suicide and other avoidable deaths in Kogi, urging the chamber to quickly wade into the matter.
He urged the Senate President Bukola Saraki to draw the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari to the matter for appropriate Intervention.
Saraki noted Melaye’s explanation and promised to look into the matter while other lawmakers took turns to console Melaye, who was shedding tears, with others offering him handkerchief to wipe his tears.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
