The Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde has shown commitment to review salaries of civil servants in the state, as part of efforts to cushion the effect of the oil subsidy removal by the Federal Government.
The development came barely 48 hours to the commencement of the proposed nationwide strike by labor unions across the country.
Consequently, the governor set up a committee comprising both representatives of the labor unions and the state government.
Makinde, while meeting with leadership of the unions in the state at the Executive Council Chambers on Monday gave the Committee eight weeks to come up with a workable minimum wage.
Makinde said: “For this administration, with all sincererity, we think it’s time to engage and ensure that we are proactive irrespective of what is happening or coming at the national level, we already prepared for it here and we can run our programme.
“If you all remembered, I said there is nothing stopping Oyo state from paying more than the national minimum wage if we had the resources, if we can expand our economy to that extent and I still believe we can do it”.
He explained that this can be achieved if the state’s economy is expanded and when the relationship between the leadership of the labor unions and government remain cordial.
The members of the committee are the Head of Service, HoS; Permanent Secretary, Service Matters; Permanent Secretary, Establishment; Director Service Matters, Director, Establishment; Accountant General of the state; and Permanent Secretary, Finance.
On the side of the organised labor are, the Nigeria Labor Congress, Nigeria Union of Teachers, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Joint Health Sector Union, Joint Negotiating Council and the Chairman, Association of Senior Staff.
Credible News recalls that President Bola Tinubu, during his inauguration, had announced the end to fuel subsidy which led the NNPCL to direct its retail stations to jerk up the price of fuel per litre from N197 to between N488 and N570 which subsequently led to an increase in the prices of commodities.
