The Oyo State Government has revealed that it spends over N142 billion annually on the salaries of its workforce, placing it among the top three highest-paying states in Nigeria.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, made this known while explaining the state’s continued efforts to support workers in the face of rising living costs.
According to him, the government’s wage bill has increased significantly following recent measures introduced by Governor Seyi Makinde.
He said, “Oyo State currently spends over N142 billion every year on workers’ salaries, making it one of the highest-paying states in the country.”
Oyelade further disclosed that the monthly wage bill rose by nearly N2 billion after the governor approved a N10,000 transportation support package for all categories of workers earlier this month.
“With the introduction of the N10,000 transport support allowance, the state’s wage bill has increased by close to N2 billion monthly.
“This is part of our effort to cushion the economic pressure on workers,” he said.
The Commissioner explained that the decision was influenced by the recent rise in global fuel prices, which he linked to the ongoing conflict in Iran.
“The current situation in the international oil market, particularly due to the conflict in Iran, has led to a spike in fuel prices globally.
“This has had a direct impact on the cost of living, and the government felt it necessary to step in and support workers,” Oyelade added.
He also recalled that the state government had earlier taken steps to address workers’ welfare by increasing the minimum wage to N80,000 in January last year, benefiting over 130,000 employees.
“We had already increased the minimum wage to N80,000 for over 130,000 workers in the state as a way of reducing the hardship caused by the removal of fuel subsidy.
“This shows the administration’s consistent commitment to workers’ welfare,” he said.
Highlighting Governor Makinde’s personal contributions, Oyelade noted that the governor has been donating his monthly salary to pensioners since assuming office in May 2019.
“Governor Seyi Makinde has, since May 2019, been donating his monthly salary to pensioners, demonstrating his dedication to the welfare of the people, especially the elderly,” he stated.
The Commissioner also commended President Bola Tinubu for his recent pledge to donate his salary to the families of fallen and injured military personnel.
“We acknowledge and commend the President for his gesture in supporting the families of fallen and wounded soldiers. It is a step in the right direction,” he said.
However, Oyelade urged the Federal Government to take further action to address the economic challenges facing Nigerians, especially in light of rising fuel costs.
“Given the current economic realities, we appeal to the President to introduce more palliative measures that will help cushion the effects of rising fuel prices on Nigerians,” he said.
He specifically called for an increase in workers’ salaries and measures to bring down fuel prices.
“There is a need for the Federal Government to consider increasing workers’ salaries further and to take decisive steps to reduce the price of fuel, so as to ease the burden on citizens,” Oyelade concluded.
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