By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
It was a day of jubilation on Tuesday as public service workers across all categories in Ekiti State began receiving alerts for their December salaries, reflecting the newly implemented N70,000 minimum wage and its consequential adjustments.
Hundreds of workers, including permanent secretaries and directors, gathered at the Governor’s Office in Ado Ekiti, dancing and singing in celebration of the new salary structure.
The workers praised Governor Biodun Oyebanji for fulfilling his promise to implement the new minimum wage and adjustments for all public servants.
In response, Oyebanji, alongside Deputy Governor Mrs. Monisade Afuye and Secretary to the State Government Dr. Habibat Adubiaro, urged the workers to also express gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for enabling the state to adopt the new wage structure.
The governor said the minimum wage was made possible because of President Tinubu’s developmental reforms which ceded more funds to the states.
He said but for the President’s reforms which gave more money to states, a number of state governments would not have been able to pay the minimum wage.
“You know states would not have been able to pay the minimum wage if there had not been a remarkable improvement in our allocation. When he embarked on the reforms, he did so having in mind that it may be painful initially, but at the end of the day, it will be in the interest of all of us.
“My Plea to you is to support the President. It can get better because N70,000 is just the minimum, we can go beyond it if our situation improves and I know that by the time all these reforms start to bear fruits, there would be a quantum increase in what comes to the states and we can come to you and say yes, we can afford to add more.
“I thank President Bola Tinubu for the courage and boldness to walk a lonely path, because when he embarked on the reforms, most people didn’t believe in him, but because he is a leader that is future thinking he has been able to achieve more.
“My advice to workers is that we should remain steadfast, be patient and cooperate with the Government. We should also educate others on the usefulness of these reforms to our survival as a nation”, he added.