TELL Magazine

Though it pays the highest minimum wage in the country, Edo State government is working on further reviewing upwards the current ₦40, 000 being paid to its workers. Disclosing this in his 2023 Independence Day anniversary broadcast, Governor Godwin Obaseki, said this is part of measures to cushion the impact of the fuel subsidy removal policy by the Federal Government.

He said his administration was taking critical steps within the limits of the resources available to the state by initiating and implementing policies and programmes to respond to the negative impact of recent fuel subsidy removal policy.

According to Governor Obaseki, “We have introduced free transport service for passengers on all routes operated by the state-owned Edo City Transport Service (ECTS), among many support programmes that the Edo State Government has put in place to reduce the challenge, sufferings and exorbitant cost of living faced by Edo people. We are glad about the salutary impact of this initiative which covers 13 intra-city routes and several inter-city routes daily, covering towns and villages within the state’s three senatorial districts.

“Over 300, 000 residents have benefited from the scheme in the first two weeks of the palliative programme, while over 1,500,000 residents are projected to benefit in the initial two months of the free transport initiative. We have placed new orders for additional CNG-run buses to increase the fleet.”

“We also launched a 24-hour free Wi-Fi service in various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and other public places in the State to provide unlimited internet access to workers and other residents to enable them work effectively and efficiently from selected public spaces.

“We have begun reviewing the minimum wage of our workers which is currently N40,000 (the highest in the country), with a view to increasing it as soon as the Federal Government revises the Revenue Allocation Formula. We will continue to ensure prompt and diligent payment of salaries and pensions, enhance the work environment, and sustain the use of technology to improve efficiency and ease the work process to ensure better service delivery to Edo people.”

On the deplorable state of federal roads across the state, the governor posited that “One way out of our current crises is for the federal government to urgently consider devolving authority and move more resources to the state and local governments. For example, if authority to manage federal roads and resources were devolved, the constituent units will be empowered to intervene in these federal roads that have failed across the Edo State.”