A coalition of civil society organisations, known as The Osun Masterminds has criticized the delay in implementing the new national minimum wage in Osun State, describing it as detrimental to civil servants’ motivation and work ethic.
During the October edition of the State-of-the-State address held in Osogbo on Thursday, TOM’s Executive Director, Professor Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, expressed disappointment with Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration for delaying the wage increase.
According to Oyedokun-Alli, not implementing the new minimum wage this October has eroded the trust that workers have placed in the governor, particularly in light of rising economic challenges.
He stated, “The administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke that prioritizes itself as pro masses by now should have come up with something on the minimum wage. It’s quite appalling that the Osun state government has not come out clearly to say if it is paying. Even paying tomorrow is already late. Even the 70,000 we are talking about now have fled.”
Oyedokun-Alli further emphasized the need for an amount exceeding N70,000, considering the current economic realities.
“We will even welcome it if they pay more than N70,000 because the economy is biting hard. It’s not too much, because if you look at the virtual allocation to the state since His Excellency came on board, it is possible to pay. I don’t know what excuse they want to give now but we are calling on the Osun State government to start paying from the month of October,” he added.
Addressing the cost concerns, Oyedokun-Alli pointed to the governor’s sizable convoy and numerous special advisers. “It is a sad commentary on our national life that Governors with convoys of about 25 to 30 vehicles fuelled with taxpayers’ money only to be scared by the implementation of minimum wage betray logic. We have also pointed out that His Excellency Adeleke employed too many special advisers, and many of them don’t even have offices. The Governor should stop the delay tactics and start payment from October.”
In response, the state government issued a statement noting that the minimum wage negotiation committee, headed by Chief of Staff Kazeem Akinleye, is still working through the issues related to the consequential adjustment of the minimum wage.
