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Ekiti Governor Emphasizes Support for Workers’ Living Wage
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has stressed the importance of fiscal federalism, allowing states to afford a living wage for Nigerian workers. Speaking at the 7th Quadrennial Delegates Conference of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) in Ado-Ekiti, Oyebanji reiterated the Nigerian Governors Forum’s (NGF) stance that no state governor wishes to retrench workers due to the inability to pay the new minimum wage.
Oyebanji addressed the ongoing debate between organized labor, state and federal governments, and other key stakeholders regarding the proposed new minimum wage. He emphasized that while governors support a living wage, it must align with the states’ financial capacities. “The NGF is not against the living wage or the minimum wage,” Oyebanji said. “But it must reflect fiscal federalism and the ability to pay. No governor wants to retrench workers, but without a concurrent increase in state revenue, it would be impossible to afford the new minimum wage.”
During his speech, Oyebanji urged Ekiti State workers to embrace agriculture, highlighting his administration’s efforts to clear over 2,000 hectares of land for free distribution to interested residents. He encouraged civil servants to form cooperatives to benefit from available agricultural support, including free land clearing, input provision, and purchase agreements from the government.
Governor Oyebanji underscored the vital role of civil servants in the state’s governance, describing them as the driving force behind state operations and the implementation of his administration’s Six Pillars. He credited their efficiency and effectiveness for the administration’s achievements and accolades.
“I am here to associate and celebrate with you as key stakeholders in our state’s governance. This conference is not just for senior civil servants; it is a platform for all of us to learn, share experiences, and exchange ideas. I am here not just as a Special Guest of Honour but as a student of Public Administration,” Oyebanji concluded.
TV anchor Rufai Oseni makes headlines as he speaks on fuel subsidy in Nigeria. He shared that Nigeria can have fuel subsidy without the long queues at filling stations.
“When we were still paying subsidies, there were no long queues. We were subsidising. So you can still have a subsidy regime going on, and there will be no long queues because production was close by. Dangote had it. That’s just it. That argument also falls flat.
“The biggest beneficiaries of subsidy are not Nigerians. They are crony capitalists that have big infrastructure, and they do contracts. They have been the biggest beneficiaries of the subsidy,” he said.
Lagos State Governor, Sanwo-Olu, speaks to those in the electricity sector about the usual blackouts in the state.
He speaks on ways things can change in the state and how electricity can be provided.
“We need to drop corporate egos, abandon long-standing excuses, and confront the harsh realities obstructing progress in the power sector.”
“We, state governments, used to give excuses that everything is centralised, so the Federal Government has unbundled it now. What have we done in a year and a half?” Sanwo-Olu asked.
“We take two steps forward, we go five steps backward,” he said.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared Thursday, August 20, a work-free day for public servants in the state to mark the Isese Festival.
Speaking on the celebration, he said “Ìṣẹ̀ṣe is not a relic. It is a living expression of our traditions and a celebration of Yoruba spirituality as an important part of Nigeria’s cultural and religious landscape,” he said.
He added “When the drums sound in Lagos on Thursday, they answer drums in Havana, in Salvador, in Port of Spain. Fifty-five million people and counting. Lagos is not observing a local holiday. Lagos is standing at the centre of a global heritage,” Aregbe said.
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