Lagos Govt Reacts To Reports Of N70,000 Minimum Wage For Workers

• The Lagos governor was recently quoted to have announced a new minimum wage.

• However, the state government says he was erroneously quoted.

• It explains where the confusion emanated from.

Eko Hot Blog reports that that the Lagos State Government has clarified that the state has not raised its minimum wage.

The state government’s clarification is contained in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, Thursday evening.

EDITOR’S PICKS

• JAMB And Candidates: A Case Study Of Nigerian Institutions’ Disdain For Nigerians

• Price Wars: Naira’s Counterattack And FG’s Bid To Address Escalating Prices

• EFCC’s Pursuit Of Portable: A Case Of Social Media Justice Or Overreach?

Some media reports had claimed that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced a new minimum wage of N70,000 for workers in Lagos.

However, Omotoso said the state’s minimum wage remains N30,000 contrary to the reports.

He noted that the governor was erroneously quoted as announcing a new minimum wage of N70,000 when he said, since January, civil servants had been earning the N35,000 wage award directed by the Federal Government; hence, those earning N35,000 now earn N70,000.

Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso

“The Lagos State Government has not increased the minimum wage, contrary to the impression in some media reports, which emanated from the unveiling of Eko Cares – the umbrella for the various interventions to protect the poor against the effects of the prevailing economic hardship,” the statement reads.

“The event was held at the Governor’s Office in Ikeja on Wednesday.

“Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has been erroneously quoted as saying that a new minimum wage of N70,000 had been announced. This is wrong.

“Mr. Governor never said so. He said since January, civil servants had been earning the N35,000 wage award directed by the Federal Government. In other words, those earning N35,000 now earn N70,000. He did not announce a new minimum wage of N70,000.”

The Lagos information commissioner provided Sanwo-Olu’s correct quote thus: “I know that by the grace of God very very soon we’ll see a new minimum wage that will be approved for the Federal Government and the State government.

“The civil servants and all public officers, they know that since January we have continued to pay the wage allowance of a minimum of N35,000 over and above what they were earning before.

“People that were earning a minimum of N35,000 to N40,000 before, they are now earning over N70,000. So, it’s important for people to know and for us to lay this thing very clearly. This government has doubled up and has not left its citizens on their own.”

Despite numerous promises to raise the national minimum wage, the Federal Government’s panel on the issue is yet to come out with any major development.

FURTHER READING

• How Yahaya Bello Withdrew $720,000 From Kogi’s Account To Pay His Child’s School Fees – EFCC

• Maternity Health: Pate, Alausa Launch Labour Guide, Guidelines For Misoprostol, Calibrated Drape Use

• War Against Maternal Mortality In Nigeria: FG Approves N25bn For 8,800 Facilities

The last time Nigeria’s minimum wage was increased was in 2019. Since that time, the naira has lost more than three times its value and inflation has quadrupled.

Click here to watch our video of the week: 

---

Advertise or Publish a Story on EkoHot Blog:

Kindly contact us at [email protected]. Breaking stories should be sent to the above email and substantiated with pictorial evidence.

Citizen journalists will receive a token as data incentive.

Call or Whatsapp: 0803 561 7233, 0703 414 5611