It was cheering news for public workers in Edo state, when the state governor Adams Oshiomhole, announced a new minimum wage with effect from Sunday, May 1, 2016.
Oshiomhole who was addressing a rally organised by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), to mark this year’s Workers Day’ anniversary at the Samuel Ogbemudia stadium in Benin, announced an increment from the present N18, 000 minimum wage to N25, 000.
The governor also promised prompt payment of salary arrears of staff of local government councils in the state, adding that plans have been concluded to pay staff of Egor local government council who are presently been owned 13 months salaries within the next two weeks.
“With effect from today, the new minimum wage for government workers shall now be N25,000, and the new minimum wage will cut across board,” he said.
READ ALSO: Edo state governor offers China major trade links
The workers before the announcement, expressed apathy, dissatisfaction over the poor welfare and seeming government’s insensitivity to the welfare of its workers.
They however jumped for joy and happily matched in appreciation of the new minimum wage as announced by the governor.
Explaining the reason why the council was omitted from the bailout to local government councils in 2015, he gave the assurance that the Edo government had been meeting with the Central Bank of Nigeria and that within the next two weeks, the funds would be released and staff of the council paid in full.
He also explained the reason behind the non-appointment of care taker committee for the councils after the end of the tenure of the immediate past local government chairmen.
According to him, “rather than appoint caretaker committee for the council’s and pay them because they are politicians, we directed the head of personel of the councils to hold forth so that those monies would use to run the councils and pay salaries.”
He said Edo workers would still get their salaries before the end of each month even when the price of oil goes to zero percent, adding that he would not use his office to put hardship on any of his worker.
The Workers’ Day rally was however marred by apathy and low turn out of workers.
Earlier in their respective speeches, the chairman of NLC, Comrade Emma Ademokun and his TUC counterpart, Comrade Ohue Marshal, expressed concern over the persistent scarcity of petroleum product, epileptic power supply and illegal electricity tariff increase, spiral increase in cost of living, insecurity, kidnapping, rampaging herdsmen, Boko haram, irregular payment of salaries resulting in accumulation of arrears, growing rate of unemployment with the attendant social vices.
Source : naij.com
