Obaseki’s aide challenges Okpebholo to increase minimum wage

Crusoe Osagie, media aide to former Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has urged Governor Monday Okpebholo, to increase the N70,000 minimum wage implemented by Obaseki instead of trying to rubbish his achievements.

In a statement on Sunday, Osagie tackled Okpebholo over the alleged claim that Obaseki failed to implement the N70,000 minimum wage he declared for workers in April this year.

“The latest feeble attempt by the Edo State Government through the state acting Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Bernard Joman, accusing Governor Obaseki of not implementing the N70,000 minimum wage, is not only mischievous and utterly ridiculous but also exposes the government’s ignorance and showcases its lack of substance, vision, and a development agenda for the state and its people,” Osagie said.

“It is public knowledge how former Governor Godwin Obaseki took the country by storm, setting the pace for discussions on improved worker welfare when he initiated the ongoing efforts by various States and the Federal Government to raise their minimum wage to N70,000 or above.

“The N70,000 minimum has since been implemented, and Edo civil servants have enjoyed it since May 2024 with His Excellency, Godwin Obaseki, making history as the first governor to start the N70,000 new minimum wage payment.

“What civil servants expect from the governor Okpebholo is a further increase to 100,000 monthly, considering that the inflation challenge has worsened since Obaseki last increased it to 70,000 monthly and not telling unintelligent lies and resorting to propaganda to score cheap political points,” he said.