By Ibiyemi Mathew
Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State and Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state have taken steps to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal on the state workforce.
Recall that since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu formally declared an end to the payment of subsidies, the prices of petrol across the country has risen impacting transportation costs and food prices.
Governor Abdulrazaq in repsonse to the harsh effects of the subsidy removal approved the reduction of workdays from five to three days per week for the State civil servants.
Kwara Head of Service, Mrs Susan Modupe Oluwole conveyed the Governor’s directive to the state workers.
Mrs Oluwole directed all Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the State to immediately work out a format indicating the alternating work days for each worker under them.
Meanwhile, Governor Seyi Makinde in a meeting with the organised labour in the state, setup a set up a committee comprising both representatives of the labour unions and the State Government.
He instructed the Committee to come up with a workable minimum wage within eight weeks.
Makinde said, “For this administration, with all sincerity, 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 on the 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.
“We can pay in Oyo State beyond the national minimum wage and we have them to expand our economy and ensure that the relationship between the leadership of the labour unions and government remain cordial and we focus on the single objective, how to make life better for the people of Oyo State.”
Governor Makinde who maintained that there was no trust deficit between the government and labour in the state, said his administration is poised to increase the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to give the state leverage to do better in terms of meeting the needs of the people.
Members of the committee setup by Governor Makinde include include the Head of Service (HoS); Permanent Secretary, Service Matters; Permanent Secretary, Establishment; Director of Service Matters, Director, Establishment; Accountant General of the state; Permanent Secretary, Finance; the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC); Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT); Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, (NULGE); Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP); Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) and Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) and the Chairman, Association of Senior Staff.