Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has reiterated that no state government is opposed to a living wage for workers.
Speaking at the Seventh Quadrennial Delegates’ Conference of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Oyebanji emphasized that the Nigeria Governors’ Forum is advocating for fiscal federalism to ensure states can afford the wage.
The governor explained that states aim to pay a living wage without resorting to retrenchment, stressing the need for alignment with financial capacity, according to Politics Nigeria.
He encouraged civil servants to form cooperatives to benefit from the state’s agriculture revolution, offering support through land clearing, inputs, and purchases.
Oyebanji acknowledged the crucial role civil servants play in the state’s growth and development, attributing his administration’s successes to their efficiency and effectiveness.
This clarification seeks to address misconceptions on the NGF’s stance on the minimum wage, emphasizing the need for sustainable payment structures.
“The NGF is not against the living wage. No governor is against the minimum wage, but what we are saying is that it must reflect fiscal federalism, ability and capacity to pay,” Oyebanji said.
“No governor wants to retrench, if there is a minimum wage today without a concurrent increment in what we are earning, no state can pay.
“That is the conversation we are having – that, look, we want to give you a living wage, but we must look at what comes to the states and whatever is in the best interest of the states and the workers, we will do,” he added.
The governor told the workers, “My appeal to civil servants is that those who would like to be part of our agriculture revolution should form themselves into cooperative societies and approach the Ministry of Agriculture for support.
“It may be difficult to support you individually, but when you form yourselves into cooperatives, many opportunities are available now. We are clearing land free of charge, we are giving inputs and we are going to buy from you. As I speak today, we have cleared more than 2,000 hectares across Ekiti State.”
The governor restated the pivotal role civil servants played in the growth and development of the state, especially in the realisation of the six pillars of his administration, adding that whatever compliments the administration had received could only be directly attributed to the efficiency and effectiveness of the workers.
He said, “I have come here today to associate and rejoice with you as major stakeholders in our body polity.
“More importantly, I am also here to learn from you and to share in your experience. As you know, the civil service is a reservoir of talents where you can find all professionals of different callings and experiences.
