The Kogi State branch of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the State government to urgently address the prolonged water scarcity affecting residents of Lokoja, the state capital.
Interestingly, while the Kogi State Government has previously initiated efforts to alleviate the crisis—such as the provision of free potable water through tankers—the NLC’s recent plea indicates that these measures have been insufficient in resolving the issue.
Speaking on Thursday during the May Day celebration at the Muhammadu Buhari Square in Lokoja, the State Chairman of Organized Labour, Comrade Amari Gabriel, emphasized the dire impact of water scarcity on civil servants and the general public.
“Residents of Lokoja have endured prolonged water scarcity with no solution in sight,” Comrade Gabriel lamented.
“The scale of treatment and reticulation from the Old Lokoja Water Works cannot meet even one-tenth of the entire water demand in the Lokoja metropolis. This situation adversely affects workers’ productivity. The daily search for water has forced residents to rely on untreated sources, exposing them to waterborne diseases and other health-related risks.”
He further warned that the indiscriminate drilling of boreholes in the quest for water has dangerously depleted the basement aquifer, posing a serious threat to future generations.
He urged the State government to urgently rehabilitate the Lokoja Greater Water Works to meet the growing demand.
The labour leader also drew attention to the lingering issue of unpaid gratuities to retirees in the State.
“Your Excellency, you will recall the challenges surrounding the settlement of the outstanding backlog of gratuities, which now runs into billions of naira. While we acknowledge the government’s efforts in addressing critical issues affecting retirees, we remain concerned about their fate. These are individuals who devoted the better part of their lives to the development of the state and now have little or nothing to fall back on.
“We humbly request concerted efforts to clear and offset the accumulated gratuities through engagement with fund providers or bond arrangements with favourable terms between the state government and Organized Labour. We are confident that Your Excellency will give this matter the serious attention it deserves.”
In addition, Comrade Gabriel appealed to the state government to lift the ban on union activities in tertiary institutions across the state, noting that the continued restriction has negatively impacted labour relations.
“Your Excellency, we are once again compelled to draw your attention to the prolonged ban on union activities in Kogi State tertiary institutions.
“This ban has hindered robust industrial relations between the state government and Organized Labour and is based on misconceptions that predate your tenure as Governor.”
