Minimum Wage: Kwara Gov tackles Onanuga over non payment claims

The Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, on Friday, tackled a former Managing Director of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Bayo Onanuga, over claims that the state has refused to pay his workers the new minimum wage of N30,000.

The governor, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, was reacting to an article by Onanuga, in a publication ran in Premium Times that accused the state government of defaulting on the issue.

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According to the governor, Onanuga’s claim that Kwara State has refused to pay the minimum wage is not correct, adding that: “As from the first quarter of 2021, no government worker in Kwara State earns below N30,000 national minimum wage”.

“In other words, Kwara has met the irreducible minimum of the National Minimum Wage Act.

“We however agree with Mr Onanuga that the debate over matter and issues related thereto must be embraced with an open mind, devoid of politics, harassment or name-calling, and in full appreciation of issues of development and infrastructural deficits confronting our country.

He said, “Reform of the current local government system is inevitable and urgent, and the earlier all of us accept this reality the better for everyone, including the average citizens, who, apart from their right to earn decent salaries, also desire improvement in basic infrastructures and other services government exists to provide.”

NLC writes gov 

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Kwara State branch, has accused the state government of insincerity in the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage.

In a letter concerning the new minimum wage addressed to the governor, the labour body said it would reject anything that was not collectively accepted by the labour unions in the state.

In the letter, which was signed by the state Chairman of the NLC, Comrade Issa Ore, the labour body dismissed the allegation by the governor that it was being sponsored by the opposition party.