The ceaseless verbal war on the New Minimum Wage between the outgoing and incoming administrations in Oyo state appears endless to the point that both sides seem to be on each other’s throat. AGBOOLA BAYO writes.
The implementation of the newly-approved N30,000 minimum wage is, no doubt, a major issue in Oyo state considering the ongoing verbal war between the outgoing administration supported by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state and the incoming administration ably supported by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The politics of the new minimum wage implementation in Oyo can best be described as a cat and mouse game as the outgoing and incoming administration are trying to outsmart the other
It all started when the commissioner for information, culture and tourism, Mr Toye Arulogun, hinted of the intention of the government to embark on discussions with labour union leaders on modalities for implementing it.
According to Arulogun, “The discussion is to be on the implementation of the minimum wage as approved by President Muhammad Buhari for immediate implementation. Oyo state government has opened its doors for negotiation in response to an earlier letter from the labour union.”
Upon this, the governor-elect, Engineer Seyi Makinde, quickly kicked against the invitation and urged the Abiola Ajimobi-led administration to steer clear.
In a statement by his spokesman, Prince Dotun Oyelade, he cautioned the outgoing administration not to go ahead with the said negotiation, saying, the incoming administration doubted the sincerity of the outgoing government to open negotiation with the unions on the matter exactly 30 days to its exit.
Makinde in the statement described the planned discussions as a way of setting booby trap for his administration.
Another political party, the Socialist Party of Nigeria, (SPN) also cautioned the newly-elected leadership of the union to stay away from the invitation for negotiation.
SPN in a statement signed by its state secretary, Comrade Ayodeji Adigun said, “SPN doubts the sincerity of this invitation and suspects that it could be a ploy to set up a booby trap for the incoming regime of the PDP-led government which itself cannot meet the needs and aspiration of workers and poor masses in the state”.
The ruling All Progressives Party, (APC) in the state while defending the Governor Ajimobi- led administration on the invitation said there was no basis for the incoming administration to be crying wolf when there is none, insisting that the outgoing government has the right to open discussion with the labour unions.
In a statement by its publicity secretary, Dr AbdulAzeez Olatunde, stressed that the NLC initiated the discussion with the Governor Ajimobi’s administration because government is a continuum and no state government will disregard a bill assented to by the president.
“Governor Ajimobi has only acted responsibly towards the new law by the president and the follow up request by the organized labour. The governor’s high sense of fairness and politics without bitterness will not allow him to engage in setting booby traps.”
“It is only an irresponsible state government that will disobey the directive of Mr President and as well turn down the request of its workforce. It is an unfortunate display of lack of understanding of governance for the governor-elect’s spokesperson to insinuate that the administration of Governor Ajimobi would set a booby trap for the incoming administration.
In a counter reaction, PDP in a statement issued by its publicity secretary, Engineer Akeem Olatunji, said, “It sounds absurd that a government that failed to implement N18,000 minimum wage announced by federal government in 2011 is now moving at jet speed to negotiate what is beyond her lifespan.
“This is uncalled for and a plot to politicise workers’ genuine agitation for salary increment. The outgoing government efforts to take credit for what they (APC) never believe in is well known to the good people of Oyo state. The incoming PDP administration has a way of handling labour matters and will be done at the appropriate time in consonance with the labor leaders. As we all know, welfare of workers and the entire citizens are the number one priority of Engr Seyi Makinde and the PDP, hence Gov Ajimobi-led APC government should rather save the crocodile tears they are shedding for the workers because they are presently in safe hands.”
Another dimension was added into the drama when the interview granted by Makinde in Abuja during the induction for governors-elect filtered into the state through the social media that the incoming administration may not be able to pay N30,000 as new minimum wage for its civil servants.
Expectedly, it sparked up condemnation from some quarters particularly from the outgoing administration which described the comment as making a U-turn from his electioneering campaign promises.
According to the APC, “It is too early for the governor elect to renege on his electoral promises of even paying more than N30,000 as the minimum wage for civil servants in the state.”
“The people of Oyo state deserve the best and we hope Makinde’s PDP will try not to disappoint which is doubtful. It is too early for Makinde to be reprimanding others for his mistakes. APC was not the media that reported what Makinde said in Abuja. We expected Makinde to rather clear the air on his statement instead of blame shifting. We wish him the best in his endeavors but with a caution that it is too early to renege on his electoral promises.”
Sensing the fresh agitation over his comment, the governor-elect cautioned the outgoing APC administration not to twist his interview. He noted that it will be futile for the opposition to attempt to twist the implications and meaning of the interview he granted in Abuja because it will amount to selective perception.
According to Makinde, what he said was that states, as independent federating units, should have been allowed to determine the minimum wages of their individual states, saying, “A committee will begin parley with the leadership of the NLC from the first week in June to determine the extent to which government can implement not only the minimum wage, but indeed provide buffers for the workers to live decently”.
With few days to the handing over, it is expected that the verbal war between the outgoing and incoming administrations would be over for the state to witness the much- needed industrial peace for the smooth running of the state by the incoming administration; more so that the newly-elected chairman of the NLC, Comrade Bayo Titlola-Sodo, has said that the negotiation started with the outgoing administration in the state and it would continue when the governor-elect, Engineer Makinde assumes office on May 29, 2019.
“We opened negotiation with the outgoing government under the leadership of Senator Abiola Ajimobi because they are the one still in the office and we would continue the negotiation when governor-elect, Engineer Seyi Makinde assumes office. And I think this should not bring any controversy. The bill of N30,000 minimum wage has just been signed and approved by the federal government which should be reciprocated in the state level after the negotiation is documented.”
