Civil servants in Kogi State are celebrating as Governor Usman Ododo has increased the state’s minimum wage to N72,500.
Investors King reported that during the unveiling ceremony of the new minimum wage on Monday, October 7, Governor Ododo announced an immediate salary increase for civil servants in the state.
According to the governor, the wage increase aims to help civil servants in Kogi cope with the economic hardship in the country and support families in the state. The Governor also announced a one-year suspension of the Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) tax.
The Governor promised to allocate state resources equally to all sectors while emphasizing the efforts put in by government officials to filter out ghost workers from the system.
Ododo said, “I can not forget where I came from, I am a man from a humble background who became who I am by the grace of God and will therefore not use my position to oppress anyone but to better the lots of the people.
“You people generously elected me as your governor, and the resources of the state belong to you all, I am just your chief servant and I will ensure that the resources are allocated to all sectors fairly and equitably.
“All you have seen today is the painstaking efforts of the labour leaders and government who conducted staff audit screenings in the previous administration all in a bid to ensure that the right people take what belongs to them as workers and not ghost workers.”
“The new N72,500 minimum wage should take immediate effect, to enable the workers to cope with the current situation in the country.”
Speaking further, the Chairman of the state Minimum Wage Committee, Mr Elijah Evenemi, distanced the latest achievement from political affiliation.
Evenemi appreciated the governor for allowing the committee to operate without interference, which according to him helped them to achieve the goal.
Reacting to the announcement, the Association of Local Government Secretaries of Nigeria, Kogi State Chapter, thanked Governor Ododo for prioritizing the welfare of civil servants in the state.
The association stated that the salary increase would make their work easier, especially considering the current situation in the country, and also pledged their continued support for the governor.
