That holiday in Kogi

kogi-mapON Monday, August 21, all the offices in Kogi State were padlocked in order to celebrate the arrival of President Muhammadu Buhari after a long medical vacation in London, United Kingdom.

This followed an order by the state governor, Yahaya Bello, who has been unable to pay the salaries and allowances of workers .

Coincidently, I was in Lokoja, the state capital, during the celebration in question. Note that the president came back on Saturday, August 19, and people across the 36 states of the federation came to Abuja to welcome him and celebrate his arrival. The celebration continued and ended the next day, making it two days.

Thereafter, the president resumed work on Monday, August 21. The very day President Buhari resumed work was the day Governor Bello ordered the closure of all the offices across the state so as to celebrate his homecoming.

Was that really necessary? The money spent on the celebration could have helped in reducing the accumulated and unpaid salaries and allowances of workers in the state.

May God have mercy on the people of Kogi State.

• Awunah Terwase

terwaseawunah@gmail.com