Governor Godwin Obaseki has justified why he increased minimum wage from tlN40,000 to N70, 000 in Edo State.

Obaseki spoke in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday.


Recall that prior to the announcement of the N70,000, Obaseki paid N40,000 paid as against the N30,000 national minimum wage.


The governor said with the depreciating value of the country’s currency – the naira – and the rising cost of living, it made sense to introduce a new minimum wage for state workers.

“Let us understand this new minimum wage calculation. In 2011, when the minimum wage was N18,000, the exchange rate was N160/$ and so effectively workers in Edo State were taking home about $120 as minimum wage.

“When we increased the minimum wage to N40,000 in 2022, the exchange rate at that time was N450/$ so effectively, workers were getting about $96.”

“Today, 2024, with the N70,000 minimum wage at the current exchange rate of N1,257/$, what they are taking home is $55 which is less than 50 per cent of what they were earning about a year ago.

“For us in Edo State, we believe that the issue is about productivity; paying people well so that they can produce more and not pretending that you are paying them some salary when you know that that salary cannot motivate them to produce the goods and services that you require.”

Obaseki said his government had to introduce the new minimum wage for workers in Edo State to reflect the current economic realities of the country.

He said, “We are taking measures as a state to mitigate the situation that we found ourselves in today.”


He said with the digitisation of work in the state, government has been able to save money which will be channeled to other areas including the payment of wages.

“So, we don’t spend [so much] money on stationery and all those costs used to run the government,” he said.

The governor added that the state has also reduced the cost of energy by looking at alternative sources.

“Those savings, I use them to pay salaries,” he said.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/04/why-i-increased-minimum-wage-to-n70000-obaseki/amp/

Oba, we know it's all about governorship election but you try pass Sanwo Olu of Lagos that's paying N35,000 minimum wage despite Lagos huge internally generated revenue and federal governments support .

Toh

helinues:
Toh

Bro, I think Sanwo Olu of Lagos is not doing well enough for Lagos civil servants. His counterpart in Edo state just increased workers wage to N70,000 .

Lagos civil servants are suffering . They are feeding from hand to mouth

LagosFirstSon:

Bro, I think Sanwo Olu of Lagos is not doing well enough for Lagos civil servants. His counterpart in Edo state just increased workers wage to N70,000 .

Lagos civil servants are suffering . They are feeding from hand to mouth

Please carry the ejo wewe go somewhere else

O se aro kutukutu

helinues:


Please carry the ejo wewe go somewhere else

O se aro kutukutu

😂

Good one, Edo. Delta governor is still sleeping

Labour union were there clapping, same people making a demand of 500,000 minimum wage from FG.

I don't trust this minimum wage.. the last Minimum wage, the Health workers were excluded... I hope this one is for all workers of Edo state..

Nice one my Wake and see Governor.

Thomthom:
I don't trust this minimum wage.. the last Minimum wage, the Health workers were excluded... I hope this one is for all workers of Edo state..

Because the health workers were already earning well above 40k minimum wage as at then.
I am sure this will cut across all sectors

Obaseki has truly desmonstrated what leadership is all about.
At a time when other state governors are complaining that they can't pay 30k minimum wage, Obaseki was paying 40k without owning any worker or pensioner.
Now he has once again raised the bar by increasing it to 70 whereas the Federal government are still going back and forth.

Government can increase minimum wage to reflect the present economic situation without setting up any committee. Just see the analysis of how Obaseki arrived at the new minimum wage.

If not for looting, wickedness and greed, the Federal and all state governors can comfortably pay 100k as minimum wage and heaven will not fall. Just see how much Emefiele, Betta Edu and Yahaya Bello alone stole.

My dear people of Edo state, this is how a Governor should spend the states money and not by using it to service political leaders.

Vote Asue Ighodalo to take Edo state to the next level. Say no to all those political buccaneers parading themselves as career politicians and leaders. Edo state must be govern by technocrats who would see salary as a right of workers and not a privilege.

Chinjo2:


Because the health workers were already earning well above 40k minimum wage as at then.
I am sure this will cut across all sectors

I hope so because Health Workers self dey fill the hit of subsidy removal

70k is not enough

Chinjo2:
Obaseki has truly desmonstrated what leadership is all about.
At a time when other state governors are complaining that they can't pay 30k minimum wage, Obaseki was paying 40k without owning any worker or pensioner.
Now he has once again raised the bar by increasing it to 70 whereas the Federal government are still going back and forth.

Government can increase minimum wage to reflect the present economic situation without setting up any committee. Just see the analysis of how Obaseki arrived at the new minimum wage.

If not for looting, wickedness and greed, the Federal and all state governors can comfortably pay 100k as minimum wage and heaven will not fall. Just see how much Emefiele, Betta Edu and Yahaya Bello alone stole.

My dear people of Edo state, this is how a Governor should spend the states money and not by using it to service political leaders.

Vote Asue Ighodalo to take Edo state to the next level. Say no to all those political buccaneers parading themselves as career politicians and leaders. Edo state must be govern by technocrats who would see salary as a right of workers and not a privilege.

Nobody is voting asue except you

garfield1:


Nobody is voting asue except you

Edo State is progressing under the current PDP government, and I believe that the people of Edo State will vote accordingly so that the progress achieved will be sustained.