The Oyo state government Monday said it is now spending over ₦142 billion annually on workers’ salaries in the state
The state Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, who stated this in a statement in Ibadan said the expenditure ranks Oyo as one of the three highest-paying states in the federation.
Prince Oyelade said following Governor Seyi Makinde’s announcement earlier this month regarding a ₦10,000 transportation support package for all categories of workers, the state’s wage bill has further increased by nearly ₦2 billion monthly.
The commissioner noted that the governor introduced the ₦10,000 palliative in response to the ongoing conflict in Iran, which has driven up global fuel prices, adding that in January last year, the Oyo state government increased the minimum wage of its over 130,000 workforce to ₦80,000, to mitigate the hardship caused by the federal government’s removal of fuel subsidy.
Highlighting Governor Makinde’s long-standing commitment to workers’ welfare, Prince Oyelade said the governor has donated his monthly salary to pensioners since assuming office in May 2019.
He acknowledged the generosity of President Bola Tinubu, who over the weekend pledged to donate his salaries to the families of fallen and wounded military personnel.
