Governor Seyi Makinde has approved the payment of N25,000 and N15,000 to workers and pensioners in Oyo, respectively, for the next six months.
Makinde noted, however, that the Oyo workforce and the people would have to work with his government to develop the state’s economy for the long term, as, according to him, once there is economic prosperity in the state, everyone would be touched.
The governor stated this while addressing the workers at the frontage of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, during a solidarity rally, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, on Monday.
Makinde maintained that his administration would pay wage awards of N25,000 and N15,000, respectively, for workers and pensioners for October and subsequently for another five months until an agreement on a new minimum wage.
“We have been talking with your leaders but one or two things I have to point out first is we should ask ourselves how come Lagos that is only 120 kilometres away has an IGR of N60 billion monthly but we are struggling with N3.5 billion or N3.8 billion,” said Makinde. “It was N1.8 billion when we came in during our first tenure.”
The governor added, “So, we must decide that we want to work to lift the economy of Oyo state. If we provide economic prosperity in Oyo state, it will get to everyone. I am asking you that we have to partner to achieve that vision.”
The governor told the workers that he had held a meeting with labour leaders and had reached an agreement.
“We must know something, that we have the workers, and we have the generality of the people as well. Oyo state’s population is between eight and nine million,” added the governor. How do we look after them? Everyone is going through this serious hardship.
Makinde added that the state had put in place the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER) initiative to mitigate the effects of economic hardship on residents of the state.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress chairman (NLC) in Oyo, Comrade Kayode Martins, said the declaration by the government ended all grievances.
“We appreciate and are grateful to His Excellency for this development and I think that will take us to some level,” said Martins. “All the stakeholders were there at the meeting and I can tell you that the agitation has ended. We are no longer aggrieved with the government.”
