Osun Assembly Moves To Increase Political Office Holders’ Salaries
The Osun State House of Assembly has embarked on a move to increase the salaries of some public and political office holders in the state.
The move is contained in a private member bill named ‘Public/Political Office Holders (Renumeration Package, Amendment No. 2) Bill 2024, sponsored by the Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Babajide Kofoworola.
Kofoworola, while presenting the bill at the assembly on Thursday, May 9, noted that “in the view of the current economic situation, it is has become imperative to review salaries of some public/political office holders with a view to better their living standard which is in tandem with the five points agenda of Governor Ademola Adeleke”.
The Majority leader claimed that the House has resolved to back the Governor through appropriate legislation.
Speaking at the sitting of the House, the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Akinyode Oyewusi, emphasis the need to review renumeration package of political office holders in Osun State for effectiveness and to curb corruption.
Oyewusi submitted that series of benefit would be attained with the passage of the bill which has passed through second reading during the plenary.
This is coming after Governor Ademola Adeleke claimed that state governments cannot sustain an improved wages and salaries for their workers without a significant adjustment in some of the narratives in the national economy.
Adeleke made the remark in March this year on behalf of his colleagues in the South-West, at the South-West Zonal Public Hearing, organised by the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage, chaired by Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for Economy, Mr. Wale Edun.
According to Adeleke; “In all our meetings and various deliberations, one thing that the committee has been able to establish is that the workers in Nigeria are due for an improved welfare package.
“To this effect, there is a consensus for an upward review of the National Minimum Wage because the existing one has become unrealistic.
“Having said this, it has to be reiterated that the majority of the governments at the Sub−Nationals can hardly sustain an improved wages and salaries for their workers without a significant adjustment in some of the narratives in the national economy.
“As we offer opinions on minimum wage, I will admonish all workers both in the private sector and public service to improve their productivity. This is a way to ensure the sustainability of the new minimum wage when it is eventually approved.
“Our position from Osun State is that workers deserve improved wages and salaries. Osun state government is in support of a new and realistic minimum wage for all workers within the limit of the available resources in a very sustainable manner.
“While it would be desirable to see that a uniform minimum wage is agreed to on a national basis, it would amount to self deceit to assume that states have equal ability to pay.
“To this effect, I will humbly advise that individual states would have to negotiate with their workers and agree to a realistic and sustainable minimum wage in line with the available resources.”
Yusuf Oketola is a trained journalist with over five years of experience in the media industry. He has worked for both print and online medium. He is a thorough-bred professional with an eye of hindsight on issues bothering on social justice, purposeful leadership, and a society where the leaders charge and work for the prosperity of the people.
