There was excitement among Ekiti State workers on Tuesday as their December salary alerts reflected the N70,000 new minimum wage.
The workers, in their hundreds, including permanent secretaries, stormed the Governor’s Office in Ado Ekiti, dancing and singing in appreciation of payment of the new minimum wage.
They thanked Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration for fulfilling his promise to ensure the workers got a good deal in the minimum wage payment and for including permanent secretaries.
This, they noted, confirmed Oyebanji’s promise to ensure that every category of workers benefitted.
Oyebanji, accompanied by Deputy Governor, Mrs Monisade Afuye; Secretary to the State Government, Dr Habibat Adubiaro and some state commissioners came out from the State Executive Council meeting to receive the jubilant workers.
Oyebanji said the gratitude should also be extended to President Bola Tinubu, for allowing states to have more money.
The governor said, “But for President Bola Tinubu’s reforms which gave more money to states, a number of state governments would not have been able to pay the minimum wage.
“Honestly, I don’t think you should thank me. We have not done anything unusual. You worked hard and got paid by the government. But I thank you also for showing appreciation.
“Thank God and after God, the only person you should thank is President Bola Tinubu. I’m saying this because what you are seeing today are the outcomes of the reforms he embarked on.
“You know states would not have been able to pay the minimum wage if there had not been a remarkable improvement in our allocation. When he embarked on the reforms, he did so bearing in mind that it may be painful initially, but at the end of the day, it will be in the interest of all of us.
“My plea to you is to support the President. It can get better because N70,000 is just the minimum, we can go beyond it if our situation improves and I know that by the time all these reforms start to bear fruits, there will be a quantum increase in what comes to the states and we can come to you and say yes, we can afford to add more.
“I thank President Tinubu for the courage and boldness to walk a lonely path because when he embarked on the reforms, most people didn’t believe in him. But because he is a leader who is futuristic in thinking, he has been able to achieve more.
“My advice to workers is that we should remain steadfast, be patient and cooperate with the government. We should also educate others on the usefulness of these reforms to our survival as a nation,” the governor said.
