N18,000 minimum wage: Change strategy, lawmaker tells Labour

Posted by admin Headlines Wednesday, July 6th, 2011

Workers in Oyo State have been told to join the clamour for a review of the revenue allocation formula to enable state governments to pay the N18, 000 minimum wage instead of threatening and blackmailing their employers.

A member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Olusegun Olaleye who gave the advice at a media parley in Ibadan yesterday, observed that the reality on ground was that the purses of most states of the federation were not able to support the implementation of the new minimum wage scheme particularly with the present federal allocation formula in place.

According to him, the workers missed the point in agitating and cajoling state governors on the contentious issues, stressing that what they ought to do was join forces with the governors in putting pressure on the Federal Government to vote more money to the states.

He, however, said he did not support the call for removal of oil subsidy.
“It’s a wrong strategy to be putting pressure on governors. It’s actually the Federal Government that they should be mounting pressures on to review the revenue allocation formula”, Olaleye, a former National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) president said.
Reacting to the rejection of the payment of N9, 400 old wage by the Oyo State workers for June, Hon. Olaleye appealed to them to give room for more labour-government interaction on the contentious salary issue.

His words: “Labour should understand that we are dealing with a looted treasury here. The governor had opened the books and shown the state of the state government’s finances. He has already paid the new minimum wage for May and said further implementation is subject to when the revenue profile improves and can sustain it. I think they should not have rejected it, since there was an agreement and understanding, while negotiations continue”
The lawmaker said the new administration in the state has a lot of goodies for the workers and sued for understanding, patience and support from all.

He said the legislative Assembly in league with the executives was already making moves at resolving the joint ownership crisis of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, with a view to normalizing the institution’s distorted academic calendar, which has frustrated the graduation of the students especially the medical students.

To this end, legislation already passed in respect of the sole take-over of the institution and establishment of university teaching hospital as well as transfer of staff by Oyo state is to be reviewed.
The legislator said to ensure transparency in governance and check the wave of national insecurity from sweeping into the state, he hoped to propose the domestication of the Freedom of Information (FOI) and anti-terrorism bills in the state assembly.

-Sunwp_posts