Like Ajaokuta, workers also dying
“These are indeed the locust years of ASCO. I never thought I would be a victim one day. By September, it will mark exactly one year we last received salaries. How do we survive? Some families in Ajaokuta will wake up and don’t know what they will eat. I am a Christian but I have […]
“These are indeed the locust years of ASCO. I never thought I would be a victim one day. By September, it will mark exactly one year we last received salaries. How do we survive? Some families in Ajaokuta will wake up and don’t know what they will eat. I am a Christian but I have joined the Muslims in fasting because there is no food. I have to leave the little food at home for the children. It has gotten to a point in the quarters that people steal food. The other day a woman was cooking soup and she went inside to get salt, before she returned, the pot of soup disappeared. Some workers who have reached their wits end have resort to stealing to keep body and soul together. In fact, I have settled several cases of staff caught stealing yam and cassava in neighbours’ farms. For God’s sake, 12 months without salaries is not 12 days or 12 hours. We are dying. Please help us tell Yar’adua to save us,” he begged.
“When we picketed Ministry of Mines and Steel on July 31st, 2009, we signed agreement with them that they will pay us on or before August 31 and today (Monday, August 31, 2009), what we are getting from Abuja is verification papers. That is the highest level of wickedness and insensitivity. God will surely judge them.”
Shuaibu Ogereva, a staff with the Quality Assurance and Research Department, said his two sons cannot go to university because there is no money. “The government has succeeded in destroying our lives. What is our crime? Is it a crime to be employed? Where is the rule of law when the legitimate entitlements of workers are denied them and government keep mouthing rule of law,” he queried.
Jimoh Sunday, another ASCO staff said he has taken to Okada business to make ends meet. “Most of the staff who own motorcycle have turned Okada riders and ‘agberos’ for those without motor cycles. Those with cars engage in ‘Kabu-Kabu’ business. Our children are at home because we cannot pay school fees. Sixty-five percent of the wives of ASCO staff have divorced their husbands because they cannot meet up with their responsibilities. The situation here is critical and instead of government paying us, they are now talking about screening. At least 22 of our staff have died of illness because they could not afford treatment,” he lamented.
Comrade Momohjimoh Salami, National Vice-President, Steel and Engineering Workers Union (SEWUN), said the staff have been passing through hell in the last 12 months. “We cannot tell you how those of us alive manage to survive. It is by the special grace of Allah. As I am talking to you now, one of our staff, Mr, Amouchan Monsieo, a level 14 officer has died of cardiac arrest because he could not afford his drug. Recently a family that had no food to eat were forced to harvest their cassava prematurely. They cooked and ate it. They never knew that the acid level was still high. Their first son died shortly after the meal. The head of the family and two of his other children were hospitalised. We had to mobilise our widow’s mite to save them. A staff Nuru, rushed to my house few weeks ago asking for N5,000 to buy drugs for his father but I could not help him. He went round and he could not get. He lost his sick father in the process. We have lost nothing less than 30 staff to preventable diseases. Most were on life- saving drugs which they can no longer afford,” he explained.
Comrade Salami said they were anxiously waiting for the August 31st deadline promised by government only for their hope to be dashed again. “Government gave us August 31st as deadline for the payment of our salary and now they are talking about screening. What went wrong with the screening they did last year when they took our files to Abuja for six months? We are tired of all these delay tactics. We have been dehumanised by government. If our salary is not paid by next week, we shall storm the Ministry and we will not go back until we collect our salary. If they like they can invite police to come and finish us. After all they have been killing us silently,” he vowed.
The story is the same at Itakpe. Malam Abdulkareem Sheidu, Chairman, Iron and Steel Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, NIOMCO branch, said the last 12 months have been harrowing. “It is Allah that has seen some of through, because about 15 staff members have died so far from preventable causes. My Vice Chairman, Abdulrahman Suleiman has not gotten over the death of his son, a 400 level student of A.B.U Zaria, because he could not foot the medical bills.
Sheidu observed that the problem they are facing was compounded by the former Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Mines, I .B .Saleh who did not include the recurrent expenditure of the Companies in the 2009 budget. He said it took the intervention of the new permanent secretary and the Director of Finance to get them into the supplementary budget. The Union leader said though the latest screening was belated, he urged the Federal Government to pay them latest next week.
Sadik Ibrahim, a staff of NIOMCO told Weekly Trust that lack of salary has endangered equipment at the site because most security men cannot come to work because they don’t have transport. “Burglary and vandalisation of site equipment is the order of the day. In fact, we even commend those coming. Some trek five to ten kilometres to get to work. Government should complete Ajaokuta and Itakpe.We cannot achieve 2020 without steel.”
President-General of Ebira Youth Forum (EYC), Comrade Nuhu Ogirima said the pathetic problem in Ajaokuta and Itakpe, has affected the economy of Kogi Central negatively. “Ajaokuta and Itakpe is the only industry in Kogi Central. The downward trend in the two companies has negative multiplier effects on the economy and peace in the community. Most of the youth who could have been gainfully employed in the companies are now used by politicians as thugs. Market women have been counting their losses since this trend began. We appeal to the Federal Government to urgently arrest the drift and pay workers their entitlement.”
The Public Relations Officer of Ministry of Mines and Power, Mr.Stephen Kilepi said arrangements are now on top gear to pay the staff the backlog of salaries. “The screening going on now is to ascertain the real workers on the ground. Perhaps they are not satisfied with the former screening. Their money is ready. Arrangements are being finalised to pay them,” he explained.