News

Why I raised Edo minimum wage to N70,000 – Obaseki

Published

10 months ago

April 30, 2024

The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has explained the reasons behind the increase in the minimum wage for workers in the state from N40,000 to N70,000.

Obaseki said it was due to the recent exchange rate devaluation, economic realities, high food prices, inflation and willingness to get people to work better.

Speaking on Channels Television’s programme Politics Today on Monday, the governor said his administration felt the pain of the state’s workers and implemented the move to make life better for them.

He added that the current national economic realities were forces beyond his control, but he could not continue to let workers languish in pain and penury.

Justifying the increment, Obaseki said, “The government and governance are about our people. You cannot claim to be doing well as a government if your people are in penury and unhappy.

“In 2011, when minimum wage was 18,000, the exchange rate was N150/$. So, by calculations, workers in Edo State were taking home $120 home monthly. When we increased the minimum wage to N40,000 in 2022, the exchange rate at that time was N415. So, workers were getting about $96, which was a discount on what they were earning in 2011.

“Even as of today, with the N70,000 minimum wage, the current exchange rate with over N1,000 pegged their take home at $55 which is less than what they were earning two years ago.

“For us in Edo State, we believe that the issue is about productivity. Paying people well so that they can produce more. Not pretending that you are paying them a salary when you know that it can not motivate them to produce more.

“We are never a flippant state; we look at our numbers carefully, and because we understood that this was going to happen, we took measures to mitigate the situations we found ourselves in today. So, we undertook fundamental reforms in our public services.

Cutting our IPP so I don’t buy diesel at the rate people are buying diesel to run power in the state and government facilities. We moved our operations to a digital platform. So we don’t spend money on stationery and other costs that we will use to run the governance.

“By the time we harness all our savings, we will have a lot of money to pay the workers,” he added.

Fielding questions on the possible increase in overhead, pension and gratuities in the 2024 budget, the Edo governor stressed that he was going to the state assembly with the revised budget to accommodate the new development.

He said, “My overhead budget this year is about N89 billion, whereas my personal costs are about N65 billion. So I want to move more money from overhead to paying more salaries to the people and the taxes generated from the state.”

He further maintained that the new development would be sustained because the money was in the budget, adding, “If the Federal Government imposes something higher, we would look at what at the economic realities in the state and make the necessary adjustments.”

Earlier today, Obaseki announced that workers will now begin to earn N70,000 at the inauguration of the newly built ultra-modern Labour House secretariat complex for labour unions in the state, along Temboga Road, Ikpoba-Hill, Benin City.

News

First Lady Support Historic Bill to Reserve Seats for Women in Parliament

Published

21 minutes ago

March 4, 2025

Gloria Ikibah

…as Office Of Deputy Speaker, ElectHer hold art exhibition in Abuja

By Gloria Ikibah

In a significant step towards promoting gender inclusion in governance, Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has thrown her weight behind the seat reservation bill for women in the parliament, urging members of the national assembly to expeditiously pass the bill into law.

The bill sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Benjamin Kalu is currently before the House of Representatives for consideration and passage.

Speaking at the Art for Governance Exhibition organized by the Office of the Deputy Speaker in conjunction with ElectHER, an advocacy group for women empowerment in Abuja, Monday night,

Senator Tinubu represented by Hajiya Fatima Tajudeen Abbas, wife of the Speaker, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, emphasised the importance of women’s leadership in shaping the country’s future.

She said: “In the context of governance and inclusion, it offers a unique and compelling way to spotlight the urgent need for greater female representation in leadership and decision making processes. The artworks being displayed today serve not only for a Nigeria where political leadership is truly inclusive and reflective of its people. The emphasis on affirmative action bill is essential to amplifying the message of inclusion contained in this exhibition.

“Women constitute a vital part of our nation’s progress yet their representation in governance remains limited. Ensuring that women have a stronger voice in shaping policies, making decisions and driving national development is not just a matter of justice, it is a necessity for stable growth.

“Therefore, I support the affirmative action bill that mandates at least 35 percent of seats in the legislative and executive arms being occupied by women. I urge the national assembly to expedite the passage of the bill. I am committed to supporting initiatives that promote gender inclusion, women and nation building. This has been my mission during my mission as first lady of Lagos, as a senator and now as the first lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I firmly believe in the importance of women voices in governance. I urge my former colleagues, the civil society organization and the public to embrace the message of exhibition and collaborate to ensure that women’s voices are heard”.

In his remarks, the Deputy Speaker decried the underrepresention of women in governance.

“Today, we wield the transformative power to address one of the most pressing issues in Nigeria’s democracy: the systemic underrepresentation of women in governance. We see the struggles, the resilience, and the undeniable strength of women who have fought to lead, only to be met with barriers. But barriers can be broken. That is why this exhibition is not just a cultural moment—it is an advocacy tool, a visual argument, a movement in motion.

“The Art for Governance exhibition is anchored on a pivotal legislative effort:

The Constitution (Alteration) Bill, 2024—popularly known as the Additional

Seats Bill. This bill is not merely about numbers or political arithmetic; it is

about justice. And as we push for its passage in the 10th Assembly, we

recognize that legislative success is not achieved through legal arguments

alone, but through the mobilization of hearts and minds, and this exhibition

does precisely that. Because this is not just about passing a bill; it is about shaping a legacy”, Kalu said.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ElectHER and Lead Curator, Art For Governance Exhibition, Ibijoke Faborode, highlighted the importance of gender-inclusive governance in fostering stronger democratic institutions, improved policy outcomes, and broader socio-economic growth.

“Nigeria, Africa’s largest democracy, has one of the lowest rates of female political representation on the continent. With women comprising nearly 50% of the population but less than 4% of the National Assembly, the underrepresentation of women in governance remains a critical challenge to achieving inclusive democracy and sustainable development. As Nigeria moves toward the 2027 elections, bold legislative reforms like the Reserved Seats Bill can be a game changer for socioeconomic transformation. We are building the momentum needed to mainstream the Reserved Seats Bill, shift public discourse, and drive its passage. This is not just about a policy change. It is about reshaping Nigeria’s democratic landscape to reflect the full strength of its people”, she said.

The Minister of Women Affairs and other notable personalities who spoke at the Exhibition also expressed their commitment to ensuring the passage of the Special Seats Bill, which aims to increase women’s representation in governance.

The Exhibition produced top 3 artists from over 150 other competitors who won special prizes for their extraordinary artworks.

The artists included Segun Owolabi who won the first position for N2 million; Chidinma Mordi, second position for N1. 5 million and Precious Samuel, third Position for N1 million but the prizes were later doubled by the Deputy Speaker.

The prize winners will also exhibit their work at the Echoes of Equity; Art For Governance event and display their works at the National Assembly Library for about 3 weeks.

News

Benin City boils as CSOs protest killing of physically challenged man

Published

49 minutes ago

March 4, 2025

Naijablitznews

Angry members of Civil Society Organisations on Tuesday protested and decried the gruesome murder of a physically challenged man in Obazagbon community, Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State.

The victim, identified as Efe Ogbeide and a deaf, was said to have been murdered at a project site by invading gunmen.

The community is said to be embroiled in violent leadership crisis, leading to the destruction of property and loss of lives.

Speaking on behalf of the aggrieved protesters, the Executive Director, Network for the Advancement of People with Visible Disability, Omasah Melody said the victim was deaf and could not hear when the alarm of the invaders was raised.

He added, “While others ran away, but because he could not hear, he fell in the hands of his murderers.”

Melody continued, “we are pained. We are touched because Mrs. Betty has lost a very dear husband. His children have been made fatherless.

Ogbeide’s crime was that he went around to fend for himself and his family in spite of his disability so that he will not to be a liability to society.

It was in the quest of struggling to put food on the table of his family that death met him absolutely.

“The frequency of communal clashes over land and its related issues is becoming one too many. It has to stop. Security agents must rise to the occasion.

When there are crisis in community, the physically challenged suffer more. People with disabilities are worse hit.”

Reacting to the development, the Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu said three suspects have been arrested over the mayhem in Obazagbon community, adding that investigation is still ongoing.

News

PSC endorses appointment of six DIGs, elevates one CP to AIG, others

Published

2 hours ago

March 4, 2025

Naijablitznews

The Police Service Commission has endorsed the appointment of six Deputy Inspectors General of Police and the promotion of the Commissioner of Police Enugu State Command, Uzuegbu Kanayo to the next rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police.

The new Deputy Inspectors General of Police are Sadiq Idiris Abubakar, Commandant Police Academy , Wudil, Kano. He was former Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory; CP Peace keeping Operations and Coordinator, Police Special Forces; Benjamin Nebolisa Okolo, former AIG, Zone 16, Yenagoa and presently AIG Department of Information Communication Technology, Force Headquarters Abuja and Williams Adebowale, Commandant, Police Staff College Jos.

Others are Bzigu Yakubu Kwazi Bali, AIG FCID, Annex Enugu; Idegwu Basil Ukuoma, AIG Zone 14, Katsina and Adebola Ayinde Hamzat, AIG Zone 16 Yenagoa and former Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command. He was also a former CP Border Patrol, Force Headquarters, CP Crime Prevention and Community safety; Deputy Force Secretary and currently AIG in charge of NPF Counter Terrorism Unit, CTU, Force Headquarters Abuja.

CP Kanayo Uzuegbu Commissioner of Police Enugu State Command promoted to the next rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police was a former Assistant Commissioner Operations Zone 9, Umuahia; Area Commander, Owerri; Area Commander Karu, Nasarawa state; Commander Switch Operation Switch, Portharcourt; Deputy Commissioner Finance and Admin Edo State Command, DCP, state CID, Osun State and Commissioner of Police Operations, Communication, Force Headquarters, Abuja.

The Commission also approved the appointment of Commissioners of Police for Oyo and Enugu State Commands. CP Ademola Johnson, Principal Staff Officer to the Inspector General of Police was appointed CP Oyo State. He was also a former Deputy Commissioner of Police Delta State Command. CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa was appointed CP, Enugu State to take over from newly promoted AIG Kanayo Uzuegbu. CP Giwa was former DCP Operations Kaduna and Imo State Commands; ACP Police Mobile Force, Force Headquarters Abuja; and CSP A, Commissioner of Police Mobile Force, Force Headquarters among other postings in the Police Mobile Force.

The Commission also approved the promotion of eight Chief Superintendents of Police to the next rank of Assistant Commissioners of Police. They are Abdullahi Kamba Usman; Sani Abdu; Ifeanyi Owo; Vincent Orole; Elisha Atikinkpan and Margaret Okonkwo. Others are Alhasan Aliyu Guga and Imo Owinizi Ezekiel.

The newly promoted senior Police Officers were subjected to Written examinations and interactive oral interview.

The Chairman of the Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu rtd mni, presided over the sessions with Justice Paul Adamu Galumje, Justice of the Supreme Court rtd and Honourable Commissioner representing the Judiciary in the Commission; DIG Taiwo Lakanu rtd fdc, Honourable Commissioner representing the Police and Chief Onyemuchi Nnamani, Secretary to the Commission in attendance.