Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has slashed the salaries of senior political appointees by 50 per cent.
Makinde, who disclosed this on Friday during the Workers’ Day celebration held at the Labour House in Ibadan, said this was to ensure the economic safety of other workers in the state.
The governor also said that he had already secured the cooperation of the legislators to take a 30 per cent cut off their monthly allocations.
He commended the workers for their understanding in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The governor said that it was not only the health workers leading the charge on COVID-19 but volunteers from other sectors working to curtail the virus in the state.
“The next couple of months are going to be difficult but we are working hard to mitigate the shocks to our economy.
“We must on this day appreciate the efforts of those who have taken pay cuts so that others may be catered for and I am happy that under this administration, the wellbeing of the common man takes precedence.
“We will continue to put in the work needed to ensure that you are never paid with “bear-with-us” at the end of any month.
“We salute the workers who have sacrificed their earnings at this time; those whose businesses have been affected by the partial lockdown in Oyo State,” Makinde said.
He said COVID-19 had struck and it was now the responsibility of all stakeholders to build something out of this pandemic that would make generations to come out proud.
“After COVID-19, we will be left with an economy which must be grown and sustained. I will make the tough decisions so that our economy can thrive.
“We want to get our economy back on track and this is why we have started opening up the system while keeping an eye on the reports from the Oyo State COVID-19 Emergency Operations Centre.
“We have partially opened up the State Secretariat. We are picking up infrastructural projects that we have had to hold off.
“Already, some projects were approved last week. We are injecting funds to kick-start our economic recovery,” Makinde said.
Makinde promised that the state government would keep paying the new minimum wage on the 25th of every month.
He solicited the support of workers to build the economy better than it was before COVID-19 struck.
Makinde pledged that he would welcome positive ideas that would help the economy of the state grow.
“ For those businesses that have been affected at this time, we are open to listening to your ideas and suggestions that will bring you back to the mainstream gradually,” he said.
The Oyo State NLC Chairman, Bayo Titilola-Sodo, pledged the commitment of the workers to continually support the state government in the task of moving the state forward.