The ongoing recession in the Nigerian economy that has seen state governments unable to pay workers for many months took a morbid turn at the weekend when it was reported that nine out of the 142 staff placed on compulsory leave without pay since 2011 by the Kogi State Transport Company have lost their lives under hunger-related circumstances.
In a statement released to media houses in Lokoja, the state capital, on Sunday, two colleagues of the deceased, Ndakwo Mohammed and Anate Audu, said that there other workers who were in life-threatening situations .
According to them, the workers, who had put in years of services ranging from 10 years to 23 years, had been facing severe hardship and were now in deteriorating health due to lack of money to eat and pay for medical treatment.
“Many of us have been ejected out of our houses and our children chased out of school due to our inability to pay rents and schools fees,” the statement said.
The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) recalls that the Kogi State Transport Company had, though a circular dated June 30, 2011, by its General Manager, Augustine Tokula, directed all the 142 members of staff of the company to immediately proceeded compulsory leave without pay.
(NAN)
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