Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, has announced the commencement of the payment of the new national minimum wage of N70,000 to state workers starting Monday.
The payment, according to the statement that was on Sunday made available to journalists, by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Abubakar Bawa, will cover state civil servants, local government employees, and staff of the Local Government Education Authorities.
The move aligns with the federal government’s directive on the new national minimum wage and fulfills Governor Aliyu’s promise to implement it promptly.
In the statement, the governor urged civil servants to reciprocate the gesture by demonstrating renewed dedication to their duties.
“With the commencement of this new minimum wage, we expect commitment, hard work, punctuality, and seriousness from our workforce,” Aliyu said.
Governor Aliyu also reiterated his administration’s commitment to sustaining the timely payment of salaries.
He assured workers that salaries would continue to be paid between the 19th and 22nd of every month, a significant improvement from the previous administration, where salaries were delayed by as much as 50 days.
The administration, he said, has also prioritized clearing the backlog of unpaid gratuities for retirees.
Adding that, a monthly allocation of N500 million has been dedicated to settling outstanding gratuities, alongside an additional N300 million for retirees from 2023 onwards.
“This initiative aims to ensure that no civil servant is owed gratuity by the end of the current administration’s tenure.”
The Sokoto State government emphasizes its dedication to maintaining a workers-friendly environment, reinforcing its commitment to improving the welfare of civil servants across the state.