The partial implementation of N30,000 minimum wage by Kwara State Government has exposed Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s dictatorial tendency, highhandedness and inconsistency of his administration.

The Kwara Likeminds Front in a statement issued on Monday by its Convener, Comrade Maxwell said Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has continue to run the state like personal business and empire where interest/opinions of others do not matter.

Kwara Likeminds Front is a progressive and development advocates coalition from 16 local government areas of the state with main objective of promoting good governance towards improving citizens wellbeing.

The group noted that the emergency payment of N30,000 minimum wage to level 1-6 civil servants by Kwara state government indicates fire bridge approach of Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq administration.

The rest of the statement reads:

”The emergency payment of N30,000 minimum wage to civil servants from level 1-6 only has shown display of incompetence, lack of consistency and highhandedness by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.

The Kwara Likeminds Front shares in the pain of Kwara civil servants and their leaders who are victims of partial implementation of N30,000 minimum wage signed into by President Muhammadu Buhari in April 2019. The sudden payment of N30,000 to junior staff when Kwara State Government and Labour Joint Negotiation team are yet to agree on consequential adjustment table suggests that Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq does understand governance or deliberately playing divide and rule card.

For records, it’s standard procedure for labour and the state government to agree on consequential adjustment table before implementation of any minimum wage. They are also expected to agree date for commencement implementation and modalities for payment of arrears from the date the new minimum wage becomes law in the country, which binding on the state.

Recall that the Kwara State Head of Service, Mrs Module Susan Oluwole via a statement in January 2021 said the government and labour are yet to agree on consequential adjustment table as Joint Negotiation Team of labour is still reviewing the proposed table.

The Kwara Likeminds Front therefore wonders why Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq will pay few staff without having concrete agreement with the labour. Is the Otoge administration returning Kwara to past era where partial implementation of minimum wage has denied Civil servants good salary scale?
Or the government is paying junior staff minimum wage and not planning to pay any arrears.

We therefore urge labour leaders not be intimidated by dictatorial tendency of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and get justice for all civil servants who have become victims of bad leadership over the years

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