Edo increases minimum wage from N18,000 to N25,000

Adams Oshiomhole, governor of Edo state, has increased the national minimum wage of employees in the state public service from N18,000 to N25,000.

Oshiomhole also promised prompt payment of outstanding arrears of salary to the staff of local government councils in the state.

The governor made the announcement on Sunday at the grand finale of activities to mark the 2016 Workers Day.

He said plans had also been concluded to commence the payment of staff of Egor LGA, who were being owned 13 months arrears, within the next two weeks.

Explaining why the council was omitted from the bailout to local government in 2015, he gave the assurance that the funds would be released and staff of the council would be paid in full.

He also explained the reason behind the non -appointment of caretaker committees for the 18 local government councils, after the end of the tenure of the immediate-past local government chairmen.

“Rather than appoint caretaker committees for the councils and pay them because they are politicians, we directed the heads of personnel management in the councils to hold forth, so that those monies would be used to run the councils and pay salaries,” he said.

The governor said even if the price of oil goes to zero per cent, Edo workers would get their salary alerts before the end of every month.

He assured them that he would not use his office to put hardship on any of his workers.

Earlier, Orhue Marshall, state chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), appealed to government to enlist workers in the state in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

Marshall said this would enable them to have access to quick and cheap medical facilities, like their colleagues in the federal public service.