Governor Ahmed Ododo of Kogi State has approved a new minimum wage of N72,500 for the state’s lowest-paid workers. This new wage surpasses the federal government’s minimum wage, which was set at N70,000 in July for both private and public sector workers.
Governor Ododo made the decision after receiving a report from the Kogi State Minimum Wage Implementation Committee, which was led by the state’s Head of Service, Elijah Avenemi. He emphasized that his administration is dedicated to improving the well-being of all categories of workers in the state, aiming to ensure that every worker receives fair treatment.
In addition to the wage increase, Governor Ododo also granted a one-year tax relief for all workers in the state. This means that employees will not face any deductions from their salaries for Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) taxes or other forms of tax deductions for the next 12 months.
While addressing the workers, the governor said: “I cannot forget where I came from. I am a man from a humble background who became who I am by the grace of God and will not use my position to oppress anyone but to better the lots of the people.
“You people generously elected me as your governor, and the resources of the state belong to you all. I am just your chief servant. I will ensure that the resources are allocated to all sectors fairly and equitably.
“All you have seen today is the painstaking efforts of the labour leaders and government who conducted staff audit screenings in the previous administration in a bid to ensure that the right people take what belongs to them as workers and not ghost workers.”
In response, Gabriel Amari, the chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Kogi State, applauded the governor’s efforts. He noted that the governor had swiftly moved to implement the new minimum wage, unlike many other states that are still lagging behind in setting up committees for wage review.
Amari praised Governor Ododo as “the best workers’ friendly governor the state has ever had” and expressed his surprise at how quickly the state’s committee was able to reach an agreement on the new wage. The committee had been formed on September 17, and in less than a month, it successfully established a new minimum wage that has been warmly welcomed by Kogi State’s public workers.
