Kogi gov visits Buhari, vows to punish ‘political civil servants’ with ‘no work, no pay’ policy

Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, on Monday, declared that his administration would implement the ”no work no pay” policy as workers in the state vowed to continue with the industrial action embarked upon since September 22.
The governor, who spoke to State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said that majority of the workers had resumed work in their respective beats.
He, however, described those workers still on strike in the state as “political civil servants’’, saying that only workers who resumed work would be paid their salary.
“Those workers that are still on strike are political civil servants; real civil servants are coming to work. We are trying our best to keep up with the payment of salaries.
“There is no denying the fact that the economy is biting hard everywhere and you will recall that I met four months’ salary backlog, I cleared it and today, we are keeping up to date.
“We owe August and September as we speak. We are up to date in terms of salaries and those that come to work, we shall pay them and those that don’t come to work, the ‘no work no pay’ shall surely apply,’’ he said.
The governor pledged to maintain the periodic publishing of the state’s accounts.
He said: “Very soon, we are going to publish all the salaries that we have paid to workers since inception in newspapers for people to see it. All the noise about Kogi is not paying salaries will be in public domain.’’
Bello enjoined the people of the state to continue to be patient with his administration, noting that, “things are hard generally and we are trying our best and that is why we are transparent in everything that we do’’.
It would be recalled that Organised Labour in the North-Central state, had in September, directed workers in ministries, agencies and parastatals to commence an indefinite strike as September 22.
The Chairman of the state chapter of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr Ranti Ojo, flanked by his Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) counterpart, Mr Onu Edoka, gave the order while briefing newsmen in Lokoja.
The labour leaders explained that the industrial action was informed by the fact that the state government had refused to invite them for negotiation over their demands.
They maintained that the strike was the only lifeline left for the workers to negotiate their survival in the hands of the Bello administration.
The Federal Government, on October 11, had resolved to enforce the “No Work No Pay’’ law as part of measures to restore harmony into the public service in the country.