Maku’s New Year Message: Poverty, Death Reigns Supreme In Nasarawa State Over Percentage Payment To Workers And Retirees-Maku
Rabiu Omaku
The National Secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance piqued over the unabated percentage payment to workers and pensioners said such category of people are exposed to high blood pressure leading to paralysis and untimely deaths.
Labaran Maku hinted this while addressing newsmen at his abode at Nasarawa Eggon local government of the State during this year’s New Year celebration which coincided with his birthday.
The former minister said the lingering situation lead to the sudden death of many breadwinners, he buttressed that majority of death of civil servants and retirees were as a result hunger and stagnation.
The APGA chieftain said workers and pensioners who served the state with their outmost best are dying due to uncertainty in payment of salaries and pension, describing the situation as a quagmire to the civil service.
“Children of the civil servants no longer go to schools due to lack of prompt payment of salaries in the state”.
Maku explained that the N200m meant for security vote monthly including the huge amount of money collected as loan from Paris/London club refund 1, 2, 3 and Bailout 1, 2, 3 are enough to settle all arrears of salaries and payment of full pension.
Called on workers to pray for everlasting peace in the state, the erstwhile minister also pray for a sustainable peace in North-East and the entire country.
Labaran Maku said the northern part of the country was an arsenal of death over the years, stating further that colossal amount of money which supposed to be invested on education, water, electricity and the development of the country was channeled to fighting insurgency.
“Taxpayers money was diverted to fight Nigerians in the name of peace, majority of Nigerians are in IDP camps due to unabated skirmishes”.
He expressed concerned over the increasing rates of cattle rustling and communal clashes in Zamfara, Nasarawa, Taraba, Benue, Plateau, Southern Kaduna extended to Niger state.
“The nation loses much fund in fighting Boko Haram, the then PDP government expended huge amount on fighting insurgency which was an extension of the $1bn dollars vote by President Muhammadu Buhari to fight insurgency “.
“The $1bn dollars was equivalent to N360bn which can change the face of the country”.
