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Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, on Saturday said his administration was on the same page with civil servants on the N30,000 minimum wage for workers.
The governor, who noted that his administration has set up a committee to oversee the negotiation and implementation of the new minimum wage, stated that civil servants and the government are going to be reasonable on the matter.
A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary(CPS) to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, stated that Makinde made the disclosure during the quarterly live interview programme, Meet the Governor, on Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State(BCOS).
According to Adisa, the governor alerted the people to a number of noticeable achievements and deliverables recorded by his administration within the last 200 days, just as he informed that his administration was able to deliver on his promises due to prudent management of resources.
The governor also said himself and members of his administration have been making sacrifices, noting that service to the people has been of uppermost concern.
Makinde added that his government has never kept the organised labour in the state and all stakeholders in the dark over the resources accruing to the state.
He said: “On the minimum wage issue, yesterday [Friday], we set up the committee that will engage with the Nigeria Labour Congress. The truth is, if we don’t deceive ourselves, everyone will be reasonable. NLC too knows that we are open with the amount of money we are getting as federal allocation. That is why we are in harmony.
“I have told them that we are going to get the matter resolved and they keyed into that because of the sincerity of purpose and transparency, they have found in this government. In fact, we know the cost-implication of the new minimum wage and the formula the Federal Government brought out on it.
“If we adopt it without negotiating, we know the amount that will still be needed to meet up. And we also put it on the table to them to analyse if Oyo State really can meet up with the amount that will be needed aside undertaking some other development projects in the state.
“One thing I can promise the people is, this is a new government, a new dawn and there is a new thinking between government and all other stakeholders, because we are all pulling in one single direction, which is delivering good governance and development agenda.”
He stated that the state is already aware of the cost implication of the new minimum wage, adding that the government and the civil servants would be reasonable because they were heading in the same direction of delivering good governance and development to Oyo State.
Makinde also commended the security agents saddled with the responsibility of securing lives and properties for their cooperation, noting that statistics have shown that the state has recorded the lowest crime rates in this Yuletide period.
He stated that the development was a confirmation number that his administration has taken security a notch higher in the state.