A member of the House of Representatives representing Ekiti North Federal Constituency II, Hon. Akinlayo Davidson Kolawole, has called on state governors across the country to follow the example of Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, by implementing the new ₦70,000 minimum wage for workers in their respective states to alleviate the hardships faced by the people.
Governor Oyebanji had on Tuesday signed the implementation of the 70,000 Naira as a new minimum wage for Workers in the State Civil Service which is to effect from Dec. 1, 2024 at a ceremony with representatives of both the State Government and Labour Union in Ado Ekiti”.
Hon. Kolawole in a release made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti on Thursday described the signing of the new wage in Ekiti State as a welcome development and laudable.
The lawmaker also commended Workers in the State for their understanding and support for the Governor on the development, urging them to re-dedicate themselves towards the implementation of all good policies and programmes of the present administration and adhere to all civil service rules and regulations to fast-track the development of the State.
” The implementation of the new minimum wage in the Country has become a mandatory, desirable and necessity because of the present economic reality in the Country especially on the skyrocket increase in the prices of food items and other Commodities.
“Nigerian Workers need to be encouraged through reasonable salaries and allowances in order to ensure service delivery for the Citizenry, since civil service remains an integral and only permanent aspect of the government structure.
“It is only through the development, that principle of even distribution of resources can be achieved and the economy will be enhanced, hence pratically and tactically fight against any form of corrupt practice in the system.
“It is to say the least that, the current minimum wage of 30,000 Naira that is in operational in the country was already obsolete, going by skyrocket increase in the prices of commodity, building materials, transportation and essential services among others across the land,” the statement added.
Hon. Kolawole therefore commended Governor Oyebanji for acting in terdem with his electioneering campaign promises of making welfares of workers in the State, a priority at all times, and solicit more for the Workers.
He described other infrastructural projects across all nooks and crannies of the State by the present administration as second to none in the checkered history of Ekiti and called on the peope to continue to reciprocate every sacrifice being made by the Governor to improve the living standard in the Sate through prayers and support.
Hon. Kolawole said, it is necessary for other State Governors who are yet to implement the new minimum wage of 70,000 Naira to do so and implement other policies and programmes with human faces inorder to be seen as a responsive and responsible government.
According to him, “All State Governors in Nigeria, irrespective of Party affiliations must compliment President Tinubu’s’ efforrs at making life more bearable for the People through impactful policies and programmes. The President cannot do it alone, hence the need for all hands to be on the deck to make the Society better for all.”
He however blamed some former Nigerian Leaders on the level of poverty and lapses in the economy of the country despite its avanlache and huge resources.
He described it as shameful that some former leaders had failed miserably to improve the living standards of the citizenry but expressed optimism that the current hardship in the country would soon be a thing of the past under President.
