As part of the motivation, we will take the minimum wage above the level presented at the National Assembly. And the payment will not exceed the 23rd of every month. This is part of the welfare package we have for civil servants in Lagos
Benjamin Omoike l Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019
LAGOS, Nigeria – Ahead of the gubernatorial election in Lagos, All Progressives Congress, APC candidate, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has assured the state’s civil servants that if elected, his administration will pay above the N30,000 minimum wage benchmark, adding that policies to improve their welfare will be introduced.
Sanwo-Olu added that the worker’s benefits that existed before now but had been denied during the present administration will be reinstated by his administration if elected on March 9, 2019. The APC governorship candidate gave the assurance on Thursday while addressing civil servants along with his deputy, Dr, Obafemi Hamzat, a meeting which was expected to be conveyed by the state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, who was conspicuously absent, in Ikeja.
He noted that his administration will consider the civil servants’ welfare because they will drive his vision for the state which is targeted at building an enviable smart city.
While assuring the civil servants that his administration will operate an all inclusive government, he stated that workers would be engaged, trained and motivated to work effectively for Lagos’ development.
“As part of the motivation, we will take the minimum wage above the level presented at the National Assembly. And the payment will not exceed the 23rd of every month. This is part of the welfare package we have for civil servants in Lagos.
“We will also ensure a car package for senior staff that have attained directors’ status in the public service. We cannot allow workers that are required to stay back and work to start looking for bus to convey them home at night.
“On the staff bus, I discovered that civil servants now pay to repair the vehicle. When elected, our administration will replace the rickety vehicles for the staff. All these, we believe would motivate the staff to deliver in every task they have been mandated to do,” he added.
While responding to complaints from workers, Sanwo-Olu assured that his administration, if elected, would restore local and international training benefits to the state public service.
He added: “We cannot give you tools alone without training because they accompany each other. It is when we have done that, that the government can have an effective public service that drives the policies.
“This, we believe will make the workers have the required skill to perform the task of taking Lagos to greater heights. And it will be considered an important issue by our administration.”
Sanwo-Olu disclosed that his administration, if elected, will establish a platform for retired civil servants to act as volunteer workers, saying, we always have some civil servants that are still active but due to the public service barrier on age, they leave service.
“Some of these retired workers have acquired skills over the years. The retirement has barred them from further rendering their service to the state but they are active. So, we cannot allow them take that skill away. This is why we have concluded that when we are elected, such plan would be implemented in the state.”
Aside the welfare for workers, the APC candidate disclosed that his government will complete all existing projects, especially the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, which serve as a major entry route for foreigners from Western African countries visiting the country.
