Nigeria: N22k is minimum wage in Ondo

Ondo State will pay N22, 000 as minimum wage to its workers with effect from April, 2012.

Governor Olusegun Mimiko made the announcement in Akure on Thursday at a seminar on: “Building Robust Workplace Relationship for Union Executives and Management in the Public Service,” organised by the South West Zone of the Nigeria Civil Service Union.

The governor also said that his administration would soon release 290 vehicles to ease transportation problem in the state.

“You will all recall that the Federal Government last August, approved the payment of N18, 000 as minimum wage to Nigerian workers and in Ondo State, we started our own from last July.

“Today, I want to inform you of my approval last night of payment of N22, 000 as minimum wage to our workers with effect from April 2012,” Mimiko said, adding that the decision was borne out of his administration’s desire to make life more meaningful to workers and the masses.

“A new salary scale for workers in the health sector was introduced in the state, and Ondo State was the very first state in Nigeria to do so.

“This new salary structure became necessary because of the premium government placed on the health of our people and the need to reduce mortality rate in our state.

“In the next few days, the state will hit the town with 290 vehicles to ease transportation across the state.”

The governor described the peaceful industrial climate in the state since his assumption of office in 2009 as a product of the robust relationship, peaceful co-existence and understanding between the government and the labour force.

Mimiko, however, decried the delay in payment of benefits, hitherto, experienced by retired primary school teachers “which has led to the death of 20 per cent of their total population”.

Alhaji Mohammed Kiri, National President of the Nigeria Civil Service Union, applauded the development, saying that “the new minimum wage agreement was not a unilateral one but a product of collective bargaining”.

He said “the current infrastructural, economic, human and social turn-around in the state was a challenge to workers to ensure that “good person remains in office.” (NAN)