A socio-cultural group — the Movement For the Emancipation of Kogi People — has slammed some youths in the state for allegedly blocking the delivery of relief materials including food to the striking state civil servants.
The group described the action of the youths as misguided and wicked in a statement signed by its Chairman, Alhaji Yakubu Asipita and the Secretary, Mr Bodunrin Olufemi, on Sunday in Lokoja.
“It is shameful for paid jobless youths to carry out such a disgraceful act of trying to prevent relief materials meant for the striking workers from entering the state,” it said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some youths on Oct. 27 reportedly laid an ambush on Lokoja-Abuja highway in an attempt to hijack bags of rice donated by some senators to the striking workers.
Also, a director in the State Teaching Service Commission, who was owed about nine months salary, had committed suicide by hanging himself on a tree in Lokoja, the state capital about two weeks ago.
The group expressed concern over alleged refusal of the state government to enter into dialogue with the organized Labour over the ongoing industrial dispute, saying “it is very disturbing.”
The group commended the senators and other well-meaning Nigerians within and outside the state for coming to the aid of the workers by donating bags of rice and other relief materials to them.
It called on President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the crisis between the workers and the state government without further delay.
It appealed to the organized labour and the striking workers to consider the “poor masses who have been at the receiving end of the month-long strike by making themselves available for dialogue anytime the government is ready.”