As Nigerian workers observe another May 1 Worker’s Day, they have urged the Osun State Government to reciprocate the Federal Government’s kindness by raising their wages in order to counteract the impacts of inflation.
The federal government led by Muhammadu Buhari recently increased the salaries of federal governmental personnel to offset the effects of inflation.
Some of the employees bemoaned the pain and suffering that the Naira redesign policy had caused Nigerians.
For weeks, Nigerians had to endure hardships of queueing in front of bank Automated Teller Machines, ATMs, and inside banking halls.
Additionally, point-of-sale (POS) operators had a field day by arbitrarily raising their service fees in response to the availability of cash.
A civil worker named Usman Olamide urged the state administration to follow the federal government’s lead and raise salaries in the state while speaking to Daily Post.
“One would assume that by now, we would learn that Governor Ademola Adeleke has boosted government servant salaries to keep up with what President Muhammadu Buhari has done.
“Anyway, we don’t know what is in stock for us. He may decide to surprise the workers today in his Workers Day address.
“It is time Governor Adeleke did something to reflect the present realities,” he said.
Boluwatife Akindoyin, another civil servant, while appreciating the state government for deciding to pay the backlog of accumulated half salaries, asked that such move should not be politicised.
“Government is a continuum. Whatever policy the government is implementing, it should not be politicised. It is for the people and it will be a legacy that others would want to emulate because it is enduring,” she said.
Odunayo Olorunfemi, a resident lamented that the cost of goods and services in the country was soaring out of the reach of the common man.
“Sentiments apart. The federal government has done what it should do. It is now the state that should reciprocate.
“We should however give Adeleke kudos for what he has done so far. He has made workers welfare a primary focus.
“He has paid the backlog of half salaries from the Rauf Aregbesola administration. He has also continued with the prompt payment of workers salaries.
“He should now consider reinstating the 1,500 teachers that he disengaged that was recruited by the Adegboyega Oyetola administration. He should also consider reinstating the health workers recruited by his predecessor,” Olorunfemi told our correspondent.
Jimoh Olanipekun called on the government to implement both workers and citizen friendly policies so that life would be bearable and worth living for residents of the state.