Tragedy struck in the Kogi State ministry of education, Lokoja, on Tuesday, as a deputy director in the service of the state, David Haruna, slumped and died.
The deceased, who was the deputy director, quality control, was said to have resumed for duty hale and hearty without any sign of sickness.
He was from Ogugu, Olamaboro local government area of the state and the chairman, Ogugu Development Association in Lokoja.
Sources at the ministry said the man had treated some files and attended to some official engagements before the unfortunate incident happened.
It was further learnt that the deceased was rushing to perform the mandatory “clock in, clock out” introduced by the state government at about 12 noon when he slumped and was rushed to the hospital.
Haruna, who was said to be in his 50s, was said to have interacted and socialised well with those that came in contact with him on Tuesday full of life.
Sources, however, said the deceased had in the last few weeks been complaining of hardship as he was said not to have been able to meet family obligations.
This, it was said, may not be unconnected with his inability to collect his salary for the past four months as the state government last paid the civil servants in February.
The Kogi State government has been paying workers half salary since August 2017 with the workers also receiving 50 per cent of their salary last in February.
David, who was also a football referee, was last paid in February 2018 with a half salary that could not pay his backlogs of debt he incurred before the payment of the 50 per cent salary.
After slumping in the premises of the ministry located on township stadium road, Haruna was rushed to the hospital, where he was confirmed dead.
Although the state government pledged to pay the workers last week, it was however gathered that only some staff of the state tertiary institutions were paid their February salaries, with efforts ongoing to pay March salaries to workers of the various ministries.
The atmosphere in the ministry when Nigerian Tribune visited was that of grief and mourning as members of staff wore sad look.
Many of the workers, however, blamed the man’s death on his failure to access his salary and face his obligations to his immediate family.
Meanwhile, the State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Onuh Edoka, said the union had been informed of the development.
He, however, said the union would make its stand known after duly investigating the circumstances that led to the death of the senior civil servant.
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