By Lawal Akanbi Sharafadeen
In my previous article titled “No Excuses: Gov AbdulRazaq Must Implement N70k New Minimum Wage, Consequential Adjustment For Kwara Workers”, I emphasized the urgent need for Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to heed the Labour Union’s call for the creation a state minimum wage committee to discuss implementation of the new minimum wage and consequential adjustment for workers in the state.
It is pleasing to note that the governor has finally taken this crucial step by inaugurating the committee, and I commend him for this move.
However,while this move is commendable, I do hope that the intent of setting up the committee is genuine and not just a kangaroo arrangement or superficial gesture to deceive Kwara workers. We all know how deceitful Governor Abdulrazaq could be with his actions and utterances. Instances abound.
I am also worried that in the statement released by the governor’s media aide, Rafiu Ajakaye, to announce the inauguration of the minimum wage committee, there was no mention of the duration of time or deadline for the committee to conclude its work.
Was this a deliberate attempt by the governor to further prolong the implementation of the new minimum wage in the state just as he delayed the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage for more than two years? This omission is troubling. How can such an important committee be expected to operate without a clear timeframe?
A specific deadline is necessary to ensure accountability and transparency in the committee’s work. Kwara workers deserve more than vague promises; they need a concrete timeline to hold the committee accountable.
Additionally, like I mentioned in my last article, it is incumbent upon Governor Abdulrazaq to not only implement the N70,000 wage but must also ensure consequential adjustments for all categories of workers under the employ of the state.
Sources close to the Government House had informed me that the Governor would pay the N70,000 minimum wage to junior workers (those on Grade 1 to 6) who constitute less than 5 per cent of the entire labour force of the state.
While it is important to uplift the wages of junior workers, it is equally crucial to ensure that workers from Grade 7 and above are fairly considered in the negotiations for consequential adjustments. We do not want to see a repeat of the previous N30,000 minimum wage implementation, where senior cadre workers received negligible increments in their salaries, creating an unjust disparity between junion and senior workers.
This arrangement created a scenario where workers on Grade 6 and lower were collecting almost the same salary with those on Grade 7 and above for six months before just 10k was added across board for senior workers, especially from level 7 to 14. This is very unfair and unacceptable.
It is disheartening to note that workers in Kwara State continue to earn significantly less than their counterparts in neighboring states like Oyo, Kogi, Ogun, and Osun, not to mention states like Lagos, Rivers, Edo and Kano.
For instance, it was gathered that workers on GL 13 in Oyo are getting about 50,000 than their counterparts on the same level in Kwara. What makes this situation grimmer is the fact that food inflation is often higher in Kwara than in these states, which further diminishes the purchasing power of workers in the state.
Salary comparison between Kwara workers and other states was a crucial campaign point and propaganda of the Otoge Movement, but five years into their administration, the story hasn’t changed.
To all members of the Minimum Wage Committee set up by Governor Abdulrazaq, particularly the labour leaders, I implore you not to compromise and betray the workers whose interests you swore to protect.
You must work to ensure a fair deal for all categories of workers in the state as they are all negatively impacted by the current economic woes the APC at both state and national levels have subjected the masses to.
Let me reiterate my stand that considering the current economic challenges faced by workers and the significant improvement in FAAC allocations and other revenue sources to the state, Governor Abdulrazaq has no excuse not to pay the new minimum wage and effect consequential adjustment for workers in higher levels.
A governor — who could afford to use N17.8billion of state’s resource on hotel renovation,shouldn’t have any issue to pay the new minimum wage and ensure just and appreciable consequential adjustment for workers in the state, who continue to struggle to make ends meet in an increasingly harsh economic environment.
As I concluded in my last article, Governor Abdulrazaq must know that implementing the new minimum wage and effecting consequential adjustment is not just a legal obligation; it is a moral one. The livelihoods of workers in Kwara State depend on it.
The increased FAAC allocations should be utilized to improve the standard of living for the state’s workforce, who are essential to the state’s growth and development. The workers deserve fair compensation for their hardwork and dedication.
Lawal Akanbi Sharafadeen writes from Kwara State Capital.