Kogi State Government has been berated for not building as small as room and parlour in the last one year to improve the welfare of workers despite the creation of ministry of housing in the state.
The Executive Director, Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR), Comrade Idris Abdul Miliki stated this recently while interacting with journalists in Lokoja the state capital.
Comrade Miliki a civil society expert who described the present administration of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo as not being sensitive to the welfare of workers, lamented that Kogi state hosted two giant cement companies, but regrettably the present administration refused to take the advantage of the companies to build houses for its citizens.
“Kogi state government has not build and commission a room and parlour despite the presence of Dangote cement and Mangal cement both located in Kogi west.
“What is difficult for the government to go into Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the cement companies to build infrastructure that will improve the welfare of workers and other citizens in the state.
“When Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo created the ministry of housing, people were happy thinking that more estate houses will be built for workers, but after more than a year in office no single house was build . This ineptitude toward leadership is worrisome and condemnable in a state that play host to two cement companies.
“If previous administrations can built government house, built Otokiti housing estate, built 200, 500 housing units, built Aniebo quarters, built legislative quarters, built workers village, built commissioners’ quarters among others. I see no reason why the present administration is foot dragging to do the same in the interest of the citizens.
“But I don’t really know why the current administration have considered building houses for workers as a taboo. Payment of salary is not enough to improve the welfare of workers. When civil servants own houses through owner’s occupier basis it gives workers rest of mind and also improve their well being”
Comrade Miliki therefore called on the governor to “make hay while the sun shines” by utilizing the presence of two cement companies in the state to change the narratives in the housing sector.
Also speaking on the issue of housing deficit in Kogi state , the chairperson Kogi Accountability Platform (KAP) Hamza Aliyu lamented that if government refused to build houses for workers the effort made so far in paying salary regularly would be in vain as much of the salary would be used to pay high rents in Lokoja the state capital.
He therefore called on Governor Ododo to be proactive in attending to workers’ welfare that includes transportation, food, water, healthcare and housing.
An estate surveyor who also lend his voice, wondered why Governor Ododo cannot embark on massive construction of estate to make houses affordable for workers in Kogi state.
“It is worrisome if after seventeen months as Governor of Kogi state the current administration can not lay foundation block any where in the state for the construction of estate.
