Ekiti suspends minimum wage, slashes political office holders’ salaries

The Ekiti State Government, on Friday, suspended implementation of consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage to some categories of workers in the state even as it slashed the pay of political office holders by 25 per cent for three months.

The state government, which also announced a reduction of the monthly running grant to government offices, reiterated its commitment to workers and pledged “not to downsize the workforce or retrench any worker as a result of the financial challenges of the state.”

These and others were contained in the agreement signed by the state government and the organised labour in Ado Ekiti bordering on the need to adjust government finances.

The agreement was signed for the government by the Head of Service, Mrs Peju Babafemi; Permanent Secretary, Office of Establishment, Mr Bayo Opeyemi; and Senior Special Assistant on Labour Matters, to Governor Kayode Fayemi, Chief Oluyemi Esan.

Signatories for organised labour were the Joint Negotiating Council Chairman and Secretary, Kayode Fatomiluyi and Gbenga Olowoyo; Nigeria Labour Congress Chairman and Secretary, Kolapo Olatunde and Taiwo Akinyemi; and Trade Union Congress Chairman and Secretary, Sola Adigun and Lawrence Kuloogun.

They said, following presentation of the accountability report to Governor Fayemi, during the State of the State programme to stakeholders, “the government presented the financial position and its pattern of expenditure based on the dwindling revenue from the Federation Account and the need to adjust the expenditure pattern to accommodate the state income.”

It added, “Accordingly, the consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage approved by the Ekiti State Government for officers on Grade Levels 07 to 12, which commenced implementation in January 2021, should be put on hold for three months effective from May 2021 to July 2021.

“That the salaries of political office holders and accounting officers in Ekiti State will be reduced by 25 per cent for three months and that the release of running grants to government offices on a monthly basis would be reduced.”

They also agreed that the 10 per cent internally generated revenue being the state responsibility to Joint Account Allocation Committee would be released henceforth.

Copyright PUNCH.

All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: [email protected]