Ekiti state governor, Ayo Fayose has dissociated himself from calls by some state governors for the reduction of the N18, 000 minimum wage. According to Fayose, instead of the governors to cut down on the minimum wage which isn't enough, they should cut down on their travels and tours and the number of wives and children they have. He said this during the Agenda for the Treasury Board meeting held as part of preparation of the 2016 Budget in Ekiti today December 4th.
"Today most newspapers reported the story about call by some state governors that the minimum wage of N18,000 be reduced or that there should be massive retrenchment of workers in the public service. They are on their own and I take exemption to that. The minimum wage is even not enough. Reduction of wages or retrenchment of workers won't happen in Ekiti State. Instead of those anti-labour and anti-people policies, the governors should cut down on their travels and tours and cut down minimum wives and children and their affluence. Let the governors cut their coats according to their sizes. Why are they changing the goal post when the match has started? When they were campaigning, there were indices of the looming economic challenges then, why did they not use that to campaign and see if people will vote for them? They should have told Nigerians then that the economy is bad and that they would sack workers and reduce their salaries while campaigning and see if they would win. They cannot just change the rules midway. If you sack somebody, it is like cutting down a tree. The person sacked has dependants and himself to cater for. If the government is owing, it is better. It will be on record that the government is owing and when the economy improves, we can then pay the workers rather than sacking them and sending them into the labour market. It is not my agenda to sack workers. Despite the low allocations coming to Ekiti State, I won't do that," he said.
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