The Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki says that the federal government may not be able to pay workers’ salaries beyond June without resorting to either massively printing money or removing petrol subsidy.
Speaking at the Workers’ Day celebration in Benin, the capital of Edo, Obaseki said either of these decisions will bring more hardship and pain to Nigerians, particularly workers.
Obaseki said, “It would be a miracle for the federal government and state governments to pay salaries beyond June this year without resorting to massively printing money or removing fuel subsidies. Either of these decisions will bring more hardship and pain to Nigerians, particularly workers.”
The governor called on workers to ensure that the burden and pain of these measures if they are taken, is not borne by them alone. He urged workers to play an active role in any discussion on subsidy removal and to demand transparency and disclosure.
Obaseki said, “If we are all undertaking a reform, then the benefits and pains that will come out of the reforms must be mutually shared by all Nigerians, not just the oppressed.”
Obaseki said when the Edo state government announced the minimum wage increment to N40,000 in 2022, he expected the federal government and other state governments to follow suit immediately.
“My promise to Edo workers here today is that the day the federal government is able to pay its new minimum wage and hand over a cheque to any federal worker, that day, we will match the federal government and do the same for state workers,” he said.
Obaseki reassured workers that the Edo State government has kept faith with prompt and regular payment of staff salaries and retirees’ benefits over the last six years. Salaries are paid latest on the 26th day of every month, and workers are paid before any holiday celebrations to enable them to have money to celebrate.
it was reported that Nigeria spent N2.04 trillion to offset subsidy payments in seven months, even as it plans to spend about N6 trillion on subsidy in 2023.
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