We will keep paying N18,000 minimum wage, says Gaidam

THE Yobe State government has vowed to continue paying workers in its employ N18,000 minimum wage and also continue with effort to provide infrastructure and services to the people of the state.

Governor Ibrahim Gaidam, who spoke with newsmen in Abuja, said his administration regarded salary payment as a ‘primary responsibility’, which the state government takes seriously.

“I am surprised that some people are talking about reducing the minimum wage of N18,000. Paying workers their salaries at the end of every month is a primary responsibility that we must take seriously. It is also a constitutional matter. We do not have any intention to cut down the minimum wage. We will continue to pay them and meet all our other obligations to the entire people of our state”, he said.

The governor said like other states across the country, Yobe is experiencing fiscal challenges but those challenges have not stopped his administration from working to improve the people’s living conditions.

Asked how the Yobe State government manages regular salary payments and execution of road projects that are capital-intensive, the governor said: “It’s about prioritising and planning. It is true that our resources are limited. However, we always tried to plan very well and strike a balance between our receipts from the Federation Account allocations and our spending. It is this financial discipline that has enabled us to keep afloat, meet our obligations and maintain our effort at serving the people of our state.”

He called on workers and the entire people of Yobe State to continue to support government policies and programmes, saying: “I call on all our people in the state to continue to support government and pray for us to succeed in our efforts. Progress and development are achieved only through collective effort. To transform our state, all of us must contribute in every way possible.”