Adedapo Adesanya
By Adedapo Adesanya
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has announced an increase in the salaries of civil servants in Lagos State.
Speaking to a large crowd of workers at the Alausa office of the Head of Service (HoS) in Ikeja, the Governor stated that the announcement was coming at a time that the country and, more importantly, Lagos was preparing for the 2023 general election.
“Last month (September), I instructed the Head of Service, the Commissioner for Establishment, Training, and Pensions to work out modalities for a salary increase for the over 100,000 public service workforce,” Mr Sanwo-Olu said.
Although Mr Sanwo-Olu did not disclose the percentage increment for the public workers, the least civil servants in grade level 01- 06 earn N35,009 as minimum wage In Lagos.
Mr Sanwo-Olu said his administration was aware of the country’s inflation and high cost of living but assured that he was determined to cushion the effects on the workers.
He added that Lagos, touted as Nigeria’s commercial capital, can pay workers higher salaries, stressing that the state would continue to lead by example.
“In salary increments, we are leading again. We will reflect the popular Buga slogan in the payment of salaries. We will not wait for the federal government’s minimum wage increase.
“We have commenced the process. I can assure you that by early next year, it will be ready for implementation,” the Lagos governor added, noting, “We don’t want to wait for workers’ unions to hold us to ransom before we do the needful.”
Mr Sanwo-Olu also assured that his government would pay all the outstanding backlog of pensions to retirees by the end of this month.
He revealed that the state was clearing the entire backlog of pensions as they were liabilities met on the ground by his administration when it took over power.
“I want to reassure you that all the few outstanding backlogs of pensions will be sorted out this week and payment by the end of October. We are the highest and best paying in pensions in Nigeria,” Mr Sanwo-Olu added.
The federal government had said there were plans to increase the N30,000 minimum wage in light of inflation currently ravaging the country.
Critics have said the move is politically motivated as the incumbent governor will seek re-election to the Lagos seat of power for another four years.
