The governor, who stated this yesterday at a meeting with the leadership of organised labour, held at the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, noted that workers have been instrumental to the rapid economic growth the state is witnessing.
He promised the union leaders that Ogun State would not take second place in the implementation of the new minimum wage.
“On the new minimum wage, all hands are on deck working assiduously, and I am sure that as always, we will not be number two in the implementation of the minimum wage.
“I have told my team that we should roll up our sleeves; we should work as hard as we can without putting undue pressure on our people. We should be creative, more efficient, block loopholes, and increase our revenue so that we can afford to pay the new minimum wage comfortably, and by the grace of God, we will not be second in terms of implementation.”
He pleaded for continued partnership from organised labor, emphasising that their cooperation has led to economic prosperity, as the state budget has increased from less than N400 billion at the inception of the administration to the current N703 billion, with performance at 80 percent.
He added that the state was looking at a trillion naira budget for next year’s appropriation.
Governor Abiodun informed the labour leaders that he initiated the meeting as part of efforts to engage stakeholders involved in the movement of people to find solutions to the current situation caused by the fuel subsidy removal.
Abiodun, who took time to explain the intricacies of the oil sector, acknowledged that the current realities were the fallout of the Federal Government’s decision, led by President Bola Tinubu, to reposition the nation’s economy for sustainability, adding that as a responsible government, his administration had put several measures in place to cushion the effects on the people.
“We have commenced the energy transition programme by converting our mass transit buses to CNG and launching electric motorcycles and tricycles.
“On Monday, we held a meeting with the transport unions. They demanded that we ramp up the availability of these alternative means of fuelling transportation in the state and widen the scope because of the success they have recorded.
“The Federal Government is making rice available for us to sell at very subsidised prices to everybody. The Federal Government is also providing us with 500 CNG kits that we will use to convert 509 commercial vehicles so that we can lower the cost of transportation,” Abiodun added.
The Federal Government, the governor continued, would send 20 CNG buses in the first instance to the state, while the state government would provide 100 CNG buses to transport unions in the state, saying that transportation costs were expected to be reduced by 50 to 80 percent as more people embrace electric motorcycles and CNG vehicles.
Governor Abiodun attributed the current fuel scarcity to operational and financial issues, while the hike in prices is due to subsidy removal and the floating of the naira.
“With all that has been put in place, with all hands on deck and the commitment to energy transition, by the time we have transitioned from over-reliance on petrol to CNG to electric vehicles and other forms of energy, you will begin to see that the cost of transportation, which is where the problem really lies, will begin to drop.
“Therefore, our commitment to energy transition is total. It is the only path to sustainability. It has been done in other countries before,” he said.
He disclosed that a Presidential CNG Initiative comprising people from different sectors has been established, while the state has been made the hub for the transition of vehicles in the South West due to its experience in the project.
Abiodun revealed that farmers’ markets would be set up in the three zones across the state to enable people to buy foodstuffs at affordable prices, while a task force comprising transport union executives and law enforcement agencies has also been established to monitor arbitrary hikes in transport fares, adding that labour would be involved in it.
Earlier in his remarks, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Hameed Benco, while appreciating the governor for always making organised labour part of his decision-making process, stressed the need to enforce price regulation as market men and women have taken advantage of the current economic situation to exploit the people.
He also called for a special arrangement to convey workers and students in primary and secondary schools to their offices and schools, respectively, saying it would help mitigate the hardship.
On his part, the Ogun State Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Akeem Lasisi, advocated for workers to work from their homes until the situation improves, while the Joint Negotiation Committee Chairman, Isa Olude, called for measures that would provide relief to workers and pensioners.
The Head of Service, Mr. Kehinde Onasanya, appreciated the governor for allaying workers’ fears, noting that he has demonstrated capacity and strong will in dealing with issues concerning workers’ welfare and well-being.
