The opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has faulted Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for approving a new minimum wage for civil servants a month before the governorship election.
Aiyedatiwa had on Saturday during his governorship campaign flag-off in the state announced the new wage of N73,000 for government workers in the state.
Recall that the federal government and organised labour had in September agreed on N70, 000 as minimum wage.
Following the governor’s approval of N73, 000, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity of the PDP Campaign Organisation, Ayo Fadaka, yesterday in a statement described the increment as a “Greek gift” and asked civil servants in the state not to vote the governor on account of the new wage.
“It is disrespectful to announce the new minimum wage of dignified and decorous Ondo State workers on the podium of the electioneering campaign, thereby politicising the welfare and well-being of the state civil service to gain undue political mileage in the forthcoming gubernatorial election slated for November 16.
“The teeming civil servants in Ondo State see this latest promise about a new minimum wage increment as another ‘Greek gift’ to hoodwink unsuspecting members of Ondo State civil service into voting for him,” he said.
But reacting, Governor Aiyedatiwa lampooned the opposition party, saying the increment in the workers’ salary was not to score cheap political gains.
The governor, in a statement by his Special Assistant on New Media, Sunday Abire, said the people of the state had decided to be lucky under his administration with the announcement of the new minimum wage.
“Aiyedatiwa will never say a thing he does not mean. He didn’t announce N73,000 as minimum wage to score political points. To think that PDP doesn’t know that there are apolitical procedures to implement the minimum wage is a big shame,” he said.
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