The Sokoto State Government, led by Governor Ahmed Aliyu, has commenced the payment of a new N70,000 national minimum wage to civil servants across the state. The policy, which also applies to local government workers and employees of the Local Government Education Authority, officially took effect on Monday.
In a statement issued by the governor’s Press Secretary, Abubakar Bawa, the new wage policy was noted as part of the administration’s ongoing efforts to improve the welfare of workers in the state. Governor Aliyu expressed his commitment to ensuring better living standards for employees and urged them to demonstrate dedication and professionalism in return.
“With the commencement of the payment of this new national minimum wage, we expect renewed commitment, hard work, punctuality, and, above all, seriousness from our civil servants,” the governor’s statement read.
The governor also reassured workers of consistent salary payments, stating that the administration would maintain its practice of disbursing salaries between the 19th and 22nd of every month. He noted that this consistency further underscores Sokoto State’s status as a worker-friendly government.
In addition to implementing the new wage, the administration is taking measures to address outstanding gratuities owed to retirees. The government has allocated N500 million monthly to settle unpaid gratuities and earmarked an additional N300 million for retirees who exited service from 2023 onward. Governor Aliyu stated that the initiative aims to ensure that no civil servant is left unpaid by the end of his tenure.
“This strategic approach ensures that by the end of my administration, no civil servant will be owed gratuities,” Aliyu remarked.
The governor also contrasted the current progress with the challenges faced under previous administrations, where workers endured salary delays exceeding 50 days.
