Lagos will pay above N30,000 minimum wage — Sanwo-Olu

0
161

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu says the state will pay its
workers above the N30,000 new national Minimum Wage.

Sanwo-Olu made the promise on Tuesday when the state leadership of the
Trade Union Congress (TUC), the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the
Joint Public Service Negotiating Council paid him a courtesy visit in Ikeja.

He said that the state was aware of the challenges faced by workers and was
ready to address them, hence, the decision by his administration to pay more
than the N30,000 minimum wage benchmark.

Sanwo-Olu said that the implementation of the new minimum wage payment
would take off when the Federal Government and labour unions concluded
their negotiations.

He said that the state was drawing up its finances and creating additional
revenue sources that would enable the government to sustain the new
minimum wage payment.

According to him, the addition to the N30,000 benchmark is to motivate
workers and encourage them to cope with challenges that may hinder their
productivity.

“As a government, we take the issue of minimum wage very seriously. We
know how important and germane it is to the wellbeing of our people. We are
technically ready to implement the new minimum wage.

“I made commitment during my previous interactions with the labour unions
before my assumption of office and I am still keeping to the promise made.

However little it is, we will certainly pay more than N30,000 minimum wage.

“We understand the position Lagos occupies and we understand the
challenges workers are facing in Lagos. If other states can raise up to that
amount, I believe Lagos needs to show a bit more to appreciate workers’
contribution to the growth of our state,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu also spoke on demands of the labour leaders for workers, which
include arrears of workers’ medical allowance, introduction of premium
insurance for the workforce and timely pension payment for retired workers.

They also demanded for mortgage scheme for housing, befitting labour
secretariat and representation of workers’ unions in MDA boards’
appointments.

Sanwo-Olu said he had directed the Commissioner for Finance to look into the
unpaid arrears of workers’ medical allowance, with a charge to clear the
backlog and make payment to the affected workers.

The governor said that the state was planning to absorb its entire workforce in
the recently introduced health insurance scheme, as the Ministry of Health
was harmonising the modality to ensure all workers were covered in the
scheme.

He said that the government would collaborate with the Organised Labour
Unions to float a post-retirement housing scheme that would enable workers
of all cadres to apply and acquire permanent homes after leaving the service.

Sanwo-Olu said that Lagos would be donating land for the purpose, while the
labour unions would source for finance to develop the scheme.

He said that the government had approved discounted rent for the workers
occupying State-owned apartments, as it was part of the welfare programmes
introduced by his administration to improve workers’ productivity.

Sanwo-Olu said that his administration had started to tackle challenges
limiting workers’ productivity, including massive rehabilitation of critical
highways across the state to reduce travel time and diffuse road congestion.

The labour leaders described Sanwo-Olu as “a listening leader” and observed
that the Governor had started to fulfil promises made to the unions in the
build up to the 2019 elections.

The Chairman of Lagos Council of TUC, Comrade Gbenga Ekundayo, listed re-
introduction of Town Hall meeting with labour unions and appointment of
more women into the state’s cabinet as part of the promises fulfilled by the
Governor.

Ekundayo said that the labour unions had been meeting to develop a
framework that would make the government capture traders in informal
sector in the tax net.

He said that the labour unions’ recommendations would be submitted to the
Head of Service (HOS), Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola, in the coming weeks.
The Chairperson of NLC, Lagos chapter, Comrade Funmi Sessi, said that
workers were government’s partners in progress.
Sessi commended the governor for keeping some of his promises to the
workers’ unions.
She promised that the Organised Labour would continue to support the
government’s efforts toward improving the wellbeing of the residents and
workers in the state.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here