A senior civil servant in the Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State, Mr. Ojo Owolabi, has attempted suicide by drinking a large quantity of insecticide because of his inability to feed his family due to the failure of the state government to pay salaries for the past six months.
It was gathered that the incident which happened at Owolabi’s residence last Saturday caused pandemonium in the neighborhood as Mr Owolabi who is a sanitary officer at the Obokun Local Government Council is still in the hospital receiving treatment.
A source close to Owolabi said he became frustrated as a result of his inability to meet his family’s needs.
The source said, “Baba Ibeji ( Owolabi) drank herbicide. He was frustrated because he has been unable to feed himself and other members of his family.
“You are aware that the state government has not paid workers for some months now. I think he just lost hope and decided to take his life by drinking Gramoxone.
“Members of his family rushed him to a hospital in Ile Ife, where he was admitted. We are praying that he survives it.”
Owolabi’s wife and children have also been forced to relocate from their apartment.
While confirming the news, the Chairman of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, Mr. David Owoeye said,
“Has the news spread to you? We don’t want to make it public so that it will not embarrass the family.”
A factional Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Gambi Yusuf, said the unpaid salaries had caused the workers untold hardship.
Yusuf said, “Anybody who is not paid for six months is a walking corpse. What do you expect him to eat? Even if the workers can fast, won’t they break their fast?
“How do you expect them to feed their children?
“The government of the day should be more serious about workers’ welfare.
“We are appealing to the government to pay workers because workers deserve their wages.”
The Director of the state Bureau of Communication, Semiu Okanlawon, said, “I am not aware of the incident and I don’t see the nexus between a man drinking poison and when the government will pay workers’ salaries.”
*Original reportage by Punch rewritten here *
I dont understand this rubbish at all!!..why are they not paying their workers?what are they doing with the monies meant to pay workers?This is so wrong and should stop!!!
Eyaa...
ReplyDeleteMost government workers have not being paid all over the country....
Times are very hard now in Nigeria and it's affecting almost everybody...
RIP to the dead...
It is a very tough time in Nigeria now.
DeleteThis is not the time to owe people.
It can be so frustrating and embarrassing. Why wouldn't some states pay their workers? How do they expect them to handle their responsibilities financially. It ain't fair at all
DeleteBia made queen of blog. Did u read dis post at all. Where is d RIP coming frm biko. Mbok u b doctor way dey treat am n u knw something we don't. Or did u just deduce ur conclusion frm dis post.
DeleteOh nobody died...
DeleteThank God...
Una no dey read before commenting! Una don already kill d man for hia. RIP bawo
DeleteHe is not dead linda read well.okpo
DeleteU no even read am well b4 u comment. S.M.H
DeleteWitch, na u wan kill am????
DeleteI guess it's a new trend for Governors. Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam is the worst of them all he hasn't paid some people in over a year! And he keeps adding weight and buying cars for his numerous girlfriends
ReplyDeleteIf there is no justifiable reason e.g non release of allocation/funds and it is deliberate wickedness the way GOD go take punish some people ehn!
DeleteCan u imagine! What effrontery nd temerity!! Lol... Owing ppl money nd adding weight!
DeleteI am waiting to hear what a rivers state worker will drink cos amaechi feel less concern about the civil servants salaries
ReplyDelete#GODWIN™
I am waiting to hear what a rivers state worker will drink cos amaechi feel less concern about the civil servants salaries
ReplyDelete#GODWIN™
Suicide??? Totally uncalled for....even if they had paid him salary in advance I'm sure he would find another reason to kill himself in d near future....a lot of folks need help in dis country....,rip....Stella u must enjoy me
ReplyDeleteHaba. Pple pls read with understanding bikonu. D man NEVER die ooo. No dig grave yet. Warrisalldis nah!!!!
DeleteLol,pls try and read welllllllll!!!!!!
DeleteDats how you fail exams
DeleteOmg! 6 months unpaid salary????? What has this country turned to??? Omg!!!! How do they expect their workers to survive? Our governments are over corrupt and wicked!!!! Can the governor be arrested and thrown into jail?????
ReplyDeleteI know 3 people that haven't been paid for 8 months.. And 2 are medical Doctors
DeleteMoney that he couldn't get to feed will now be used to off set the hospital bills. Compounding of issues in the first degree. *deep sigh*
Delete@sisieko am telling you from fry pan to fire
DeleteTerrible
ReplyDeleteVery..
DeleteWhich way nigeria?
ReplyDeleteSemiu okanlawon is a bastard how will he see the nexus btw unpaid salary n poiaon drinking when his family are well fed .All thos apc governors are always owing why now
ReplyDeleteMy state again????
ReplyDeleteNa WA oooooo!!!!
No wonder u sound local, okija wife.OSUN is a village
DeleteNne GI local bush monkey!!!
Delete@ anonymous 08:46, Osun state is not a village. I am from Osogbo, and I can tell you that we are civilized, respectable, hospitable, and respectful. That, some tribes in naija cannot say about themselves, and because you dislike someone's way and writing behavior on this blog, does not mean you should stereotype. You don't huge a book by it's cover. I implore you, travel over there, and see for you self.
DeleteOsun state is a dead state na
ReplyDeleteTaaaaaa!!!!
DeleteAre u not a dead bastard urself???
Smtcheeeeerwwww!!!
E reach to drink Abeg. State govt are not trying for salaries matter. Come and join furl scarcity then no light palaver. Is it not too much?
ReplyDeleteCome to Ekiti... The workers have not been paid 4 months salary....
ReplyDeleteIs that why he should goan drink Insecticide? I just don't wantu say anything rude.... Mschew.
ReplyDeleteAs for govt, I pray all the money they are stealing and all properties they have acquired by looting be burnt mysteriously. God'll judge them.
E reach to drink though he has just compounded his problems. I knw we r in for tough times
DeleteAregbesola worst governor after Amaechi..Rivers state government workers are crying. Swear when dem don swear for Amaechi go fit affect his generation..and he's planning to spend 4 billion for stupod local government election tomorrow..he just wan destabilise the state for Wike..Wike debt dey wait for you o..
ReplyDelete*stupid*
DeleteThey used the money for elections and to settle their useless political fathers. God will soon punish all these governors.
ReplyDeleteJust this morning in the news, many state workers are planning to go on strike because no pay for some months now.
May God help our country Nigeria. Buhari has a lot to do.
Iamvickie..... frustration of the highest orda. GoVt shd pay them their salaries na. I pity d family nw another expenses. Pls GoVt workers invest in biz incase of situations like dis. It everywhere o. God will heal u baba ibeji. Maybe dis will make d GoVt to do something soon.
ReplyDeletePeople that refuse to pay workers salaries are so mean and deserve all d harm that could come to them. How dyu sleep at night, feeding very well, drinking expensive wine, wearing expensive clothes, living in great houses, driving exotic cars and then refuse to pay Ur workers their meagre salaries. How dyu want dem and their kids to feed??? When they break d law to feed, u still have the guts to lock them up. May God punish anyone that has evered owed their workers salaries while living very fine. May God punish them all. Foolish people everywhere. I can't deal abeg
ReplyDeleteThunder fire all the Governors that are owing
ReplyDeleteThunder fire all their pricks
They will in the near future be in serious want
Wicked people
Annoying people
OLORIBURUKUS
Sdk,i am pissed,angry,mad at them,fast and furious ,then totally vexed .
So,pls,dont add to my furious rage.
Dont use this comment to cook gizzard o.
Amechi is among. so should thunder fire his d**k?
DeleteJeez!
ReplyDeleteGovernors beht why nao?
RIP BRO
He is not dead read well
DeleteLmao, u don even dig grave for am
DeleteGod punish the present goverment of Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteI pray they die miserably.amen
Owing workers for 6mnths,1 year !!!.wicked souls..wicked leaders
At this point eh, I'm just so happy that Jonathan is leaving. The hardship in this country is too much. It just seems as if he's punishing Nigerians for voting him out. No light, no fuel, nothing is working. I didn't do business yesterday cos I didn't see fuel to buy and we haven't had light in two days!!
ReplyDeleteGod help us!!
We haven't had light in a month....i hate this country, I hate our leaders. I hate listening to the news cos it fuels my rage. I hate......
DeleteOsun is an APC controlled state.
ReplyDeleteSai change, Sai APC.
Corrupt party.
Yoruba people are so lazy. Why do he want to die after fcuking his wife and producing countless children like a typical yoruba. Who did he want to take care of his children for him. Can't he survive without a government work? Foolish man
ReplyDeleteBy the way, APC people I hail una. A party of fraudsters and expert manipulators.
Na God go punish una mouth for that tribalistic comment
DeleteUr English God forbid..... What r u even trying to say?
DeleteOyo state is also owing workers, too bad.
ReplyDeleteAPC Govs are worse. Some supporters of APC were accusing PDP Govs of owing salaries but even Malam Osun Gov is owing after collecting monthly allocation to pay salary is another ish...
ReplyDeleteEven Rochas (APC) is owing...
I can't imagine not being paid for six months, with the way my children eats? Na to carry gun be dat. Useless government and who is that fool saying drinking poison has nothing to do wit unpaid salary? May u find ursef in d position of dat man
ReplyDeleteHaba! He's not dead yet o. I pray he survives.
ReplyDeleteThe wickedness and poverty is just too much. If the man decides to steal, I'm so sure they will be so quick in putting him behind bars.
God please help the common man.
Its the same sorry situation in cross river state,workers were just paid one month out of the three months they were owed.there's no water also because the state's water board workers havnt been paid either.i dont know where this country is headed.
ReplyDeletePoliticians don use money do campaign.......
ReplyDeleteI feel so sorry for these people. Just heard on Love fm that some workers in Enugu havent been paid their salaries since 2010.
ReplyDeleteMy question still is, why do people insist on staying on even when their salary hasnt been paid for as much as 6 months?
In my own experience, a client refused to pay for services rendered by trying to pull the scam he pulls on his staff and evn had the balls to say; "I know I pay you a lot of money..." my people this alot of money na just 50k o. I just kept quiet and slammed him with termination of consultancy after I had successfully given his staff the "great" speech about God opening another door for em. Today, all except one is still with this man and the ones that left are secured another job or started their own little thing.
I cant work without pay and I think any employer (government or private) who refuses to pay or owes salary morw than 3 months, just dispense with their services and let them face the reality on time.
RIP to the dead
and his unpaid salary is enof to die?
ReplyDeleteAregbesola hasn't paid some workers 8months salary,presently Lautech hospital Osogbo has being on strike since march.The pensioners has even lost count of when they were paid last.I don't understand why they still go to work when have not being paid.Its very pathetic when ever I hear the workers talk about the situation of d state.
ReplyDeleteThis is so so unfair!
ReplyDeleteHow does he sleep!
please they should go and sell all the "opon imo" and use it to offset few months salary arrears
it's no longer funny!!!
He is an idiot. Why kill yourself over someone else oppressing you? If he had taken pump action to the one oppressing him, then he would have been a hero. Nigerian governors are bullies and until someone takes them out, they will never sit up. They cannot care if all of the workers kill themselves. But if they know they can be victims too, they will cut back on their excesses and pay their workers
ReplyDeleteWickedness of the highest accord. Everybody who labours should be paid. Why have the citizenry of Nigeria sat back and allowed this practice to become ingrained in the culture, where the very govt can sit and not pay workers for 4, 6, 8 months? Private employers do it as well. Those leaders deserve to be tied to a post and whipped for not paying public servants.
ReplyDelete