‘A Greek Gift’: PDP Faults Oshiomhole’s Increment Of Minimum Wage

The Edo State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has faulted Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s increment of Edo workers’ salaries, describing it as ill-timed and too hasty without recourse to the ongoing negotiations by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

On Sunday, during the workers’ day celebration in Benin City, Oshiomhole took the people by surprise promising them an increment of minimum wage from N18,000 to N25,000 with immediate effect.

This is even as the NLC is negotiating for a review of the minimum wage from N18, 000 to N56,000 with the federal government.

The chairman of PDP in the state, Chief Dan Orbih, said Oshiomhole’s action was a betrayal of trust as he failed to toe the line of the national body of the Nigeria Labour Congress.

Orbih said rather than employing more civil servants to fill the vacancies in the state, Oshiomhole went ahead increasing salaries against the programme of the NLC.

The PDP Chairman faulted Oshiomhole’s increment of workers’ salaries at the twilight of his government, saying he has an underground motive behind his actions.

“This is a Greek gift to Edo workers con­sidering the fact that the governor has continually neglected work­ers’ welfare and treated them with disdain before now. Who does not know the motive behind this fake gesture that is coming at a time every state in the federation is facing economic recession?,” Orbih said.

“As at the time of the wind­fall, he (Oshiomhole) didn’t pay workers for many months. Right now, local government workers are being owed over six months’ salary. Retirees’ pensions and en­titlements are also not being paid under Oshiomhole’s watch.”

He said: “We are beginning to see Oshiomhole as a slave driv­er going by his policy on work­ers’ welfare. Here is a governor who has never recruited workers into the civil service since he became governor, but is now talking about salary increase in the twi­light of his administration.”

Orbih therefore challenged the governor to “pay outstanding salary arrears, pensions and oth­er entitlements of workers rather than talk about a N25, 000 mini­mum wages. We challenge him to free the local governments from the bondage he has put them.