Oyo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, has disclosed that the state pays over N77 billion yearly on workers’ salaries, subventions and wage awards.
The commissioner said the state ranks third among states paying the highest minimum wage in Nigeria.
He said that while Lagos and River States, with ample natural resources, approved N85,000 as the minimum wage, Oyo State would pay N80,000.
He recalled that the federal government approved N70,000 minimum wage.
Oyelade stated that four other states: Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Enugu and Niger States, matched Oyo State in the payment of N80,000 minimum wage but did not have the workforce of Oyo State.
He noted that this showcases the high premium Governor Seyi Makinde places on the welfare of the State workers.
He said that without the N80,000 minimum wage, the state spends over N77 billion yearly on workers’ salaries, subventions, and wage awards.
The Commissioner gave the breakdown of the Oyo State October salaries and wages as an example: political office holders: N124,369,753.88, wage Award: N1,311,780,000.00, subventions: N1,782,204,518.72, civil servants salaries: N3,198,742,396.75, total: N6,417,096,669.35
The commissioner reiterated that workers in the state have been enjoying a series of mouthwatering welfare packages under the governor Seyi Makinde-led administration since 2019, when he took over the helm of affairs in the state.
He said the Seyi Makinde administration had reduced the unemployment rate in the state by hiring over 23,000 new workers, including teachers, non-teaching staff, health workers, and mainstream civil servants.
Oyelade backed the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), asserting that the state was the most worker-friendly State in Southern Nigeria owing to the record volume of new recruitments into the civil service system.
“With the spate of recruitment, Oyo State now ranks as one of the top three State employers of labour after the Federal Government.
“Workers and pensioners have continued to enjoy timely payment of salaries on or before 25th of every month for 66 months without interruption.’’
“Similarly, workers have enjoyed their 13th month salary since 2019, and December 2024 will not be an exemption”, Oyelade said.
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