Why We Are Going To Pay N85,000 As Minimum Wage–Gov Sanwo Olu
…….As He Promises To Make lt N100,000 January 2025.
Emmanuel lkpeama
The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has disclosed that the reason why the state decided to increase the minimum wage signed by President Tinubu was not to outdo others but because it has the capacity to so.
The governor stated this an interview on Channels Television”Politics Today”stating that the state will pay N85,000 minimum wage to its workers, which is N15,000 higher than the N70,000 approved by the Federal Government in July.
“I am glad to let you know that the minimum wage for Lagos which we conversed and discussed with our union is N85,000 today,” Sanwo-Olu said
“It is not a competition, so I am not going to say we are paying more than some other people, it is a function of affordability and it is a function of capacity, but we know too well that when people live in Lagos, Lagos has a premium in terms of even the cost of living, we are fully aware.”he stated
It will be recalled that President Bola Tinubu signed the new N70,000 minimum wage bill into law in July, ending months of deliberations between government representatives, labour unions and the private sector.
The governor also revealed that the state had earlier in the year increased the salary of workers, adding that it is his wish to be able to make the minimum wage of N100,000 in January 2025.
“We actually increased salaries earlier in the year and deserving so for our staff and we will continue to do that.
“I would like to come back to you in January to say I have been able to increase the minimum wage of Lagos to N100,000 not because I want to make anybody look bad, it is really because I want my people to have a living wage, I want them to really be able to know that government is working for them,” he submitted.