The Delta state governor Ifeanyi Okowa has declared his support for the new minimum wage for Nigerian workers, saying it was long overdue. He also urged other state governors to implement the N30,000 minimum wage. Okowa said all this with State House correspondents after a private meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa.

He said that the previous minimum wage of N18, 000 was not sustainable. “We are actually going to pay the N30,000; we had made our statement long before the new minimum wage was even approved. “ I actually believe that it is long overdue because N18, 000 is definitely not sustainable.

“But I also do believe as I have told my colleagues and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President that this time we must understand what minimum wage is.

“Minimum wage is not supposed to be a general salary increment; those at the bottom of the rung should actually benefit much more than those at the top and it ought to be so.’’

The Governor also said that education was free at the primary and secondary levels in Delta State, hence the recent treatment given to little Success Adegor was unfortunate.

He said the matter was being investigated and many people involved would soon be punished. “We are doing well in terms of our education but people were quick to talk about the matter but there were two issues that came out from there.

“Corruption was there because asking the child not to take exams except fee were paid was wrong.

“ I know that education at that level is free in Delta State. Disciplinary actions are being taken and a lot of persons are obviously going to be caught up in that trap.
“I know that we run a free education up to secondary school level; so that was wrong.

 

“People were quick to talk about the picture of the school and I told them, we have 1124 public schools; that’s the primary school; then we have 465 secondary schools.

“If you believe that in just three years we can impact on all the structures then it will be magical but I do know that the schools in Delta have a new face.

“We have so many of them that have been rehabilitated and have been put in proper shape and we are continuing with that.’’

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