Mr
Godwin Oga, a 46-year-old staff of Benue State Environmental Sanitation
Agency (BENSESA) who has resorted to hawking groundnuts on the streets
of the state capital, Makurdi to survive, shared his story with
Benue.com.ng.
The father of three revealed that he started the
business last month after he was unable to provide food for his family
following governments in ability to pay salaries for several months.
“I
have so far spent 15 years in service with BENSESA and have also been
screened in the ongoing state government screening exercise.
“I
started this groundnut business earlier in June this year to prevent
hunger and starvation of my family and to buy medications” He explained.
Mr
Oga added that despite being a laughing stock, he preferred the
business to stealing, urging other civil servants in the same situation
as his, to also seek alternative means of survival.
According to
reports, The Benue state government owes upwards of five months unpaid
salaries to state governments workers and eight months for local
government workers and teachers; pensioners are also owed over a year’s
wages.