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By Emmanuel Adeleke
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has announced the increment in the salaries of civil servants in the state.
Sanwo-Olu disclosed this on Tuesday, while addressing the workers at the state secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.
Sanwo-Olu, who did not reveal the actual increment, stated that the increase will be above the Federal Government’s minimum wage standard, saying “Lagos is a pacesetter and first in setting the standard.”
“We know there is inflation and high cost of living in the country, but we are determined to cushion the effects on our workers and residents.
“Last month (September), I instructed the Head of Service, Commissioner for Establishment, Training and Pensions to work out modalities for salary increase for the entire over 100,000 public service workforce.
“We are capable of doing this. Lagos leads while others follow in Nigeria. In salary increment, we are leading again.
“We are going to reflect the popular Buga slogan in the payment of salaries. We are not going to wait for the Federal Government’s minimum wage increase.
“We have commenced the process, I can assure that by early next year it will be ready for implementation.
“We don’t want to wait for workers’ unions to hold us to ransom before we do the needful,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The governor also promised to pay all the outstanding backlog of pensions to workers by the end of October.
“I want to reassure you that all the few outstanding backlogs of pensions will be sorted out this week and payment would be made by the end of October.
“We are the highest and best in the payment of pensions in Nigeria.
“We are clearing the entire backlog of pensions, it’s a liability we met on ground,” he said.