Says Gov deliberately refuses to give Committee timeframe to delay implementation

By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

The Kwara State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has berated Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for failure to provide a specific and reasonable timeframe for the newly inaugurated Consequential Adjustment Committee on the N70,000 minimum wage.

This omission, the PDP noted, “is a reminder of the Governor’s tactics during his first term when the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage was delayed for over three years despite persistent agitation by labour unions”.

In a statement on Saturday by the State Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, the party “queried the governor’s true intention and commitment to full and timely implementation of the new minimum wage law to all cadres of Kwara workforce, including the local governments workers, noting that Kwara State’s financial capacity has significantly improved, with monthly allocations now exceeding N7 billion aside from undisclosed monthly IGR.

“Given this unprecedented increase in revenue, there is no justifiable reason for the Governor to delay the full implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage,” the statement added.

According to the PDP, by not providing the committee with a specific deadline, the Governor has effectively ambushed the workers, who may now be forced to wait indefinitely for the committee’s report and subsequent implementation, adding that his
commitment to a living wage for Kwara workers remains questionable.

“The Governor’s intention appears to be to start payments only to lower cadre workers (Grade Level 1-6), who represent less than six percent of the states workforce, while higher cadres are left in uncertainty. This approach undermines the spirit of true minimum wage law.

“Any attempt to repeat the N30,000 minimum wage scenario, where lower cadre workers earned more than their seniors, would devalue the new minimum wage. It is imperative that this implementation starts simultaneously for all cadres to ensure fairness and boost morale within the workforce

“We challenge the government to publish the workforce strength under both the state and local government payrolls and to provide monthly reports of allocations received by Kwara. This transparency will ensure that the committee members and the public have the necessary information to make informed decisions.

“With the unprecedented increase in monthly FAAC allocations now exceeding N7 billion in some months, there should be no delay in the full and timely implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage for all cadres of workers across the state.

“Governor AbdulRazaq must fulfill the promises made to Kwara workers during the 2019 ‘Otoge’ campaigns, where salary issues were used as propaganda against the PDP administration. We look forward to the full implementation of salary structures in Kwara to be more than those of Ogun, Osun, Oyo, and Kogi state as he promised then,” the PDP stated.

“In the light of these points, we urge Governor AbdulRazaq to prioritise the welfare of the workers who form the backbone of our state. The new minimum wage is not just a figure; it is a legal obligation and a moral one, especially considering the current economic hardships faced by many families in the state. The welfare of workers should not be compromised or subjected to unnecessary adjustments when the resources to fulfill these obligations are readily available,” the statement stated.