Governor Godwin Obaseki

*The Edo govt honours Oshiomhole, Michael Imoudu, Festus Iyayi, and others for their contribution to the labour movement

By Jethro Ibileke 

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo on Monday announced a new minimum wage for civil servants in the state.

The Governor who disclosed this on Monday at the commissioning of Labour House, announced that the new wage takes effect from 1 May 2024.

Obaseki said that his administration would increase the minimum wage for state workers from N40,000 to N70,000.

He also promised to increase the monthly salary of workers to over  N70,000 if the Federal Government approved a new minimum wage for its workers.

He said the details of the new minimum wage would be made known to the public this year, workers’ day coming up on Wednesday, 1 May 2024 in the country.

Meanwhile, the new Labour House which was built by the state government for organized Labour, namely, the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, was named after the immediate past Governor of the state, Adams Oshiomhole.

*The Edo govt honours Oshiomhole, Michael Imoudu, Festus Iyayi, and others for their contribution to the labour movement

The Edo State government has honoured some past and present labour unionists who are indigenes of the state, for their tremendous contribution to the welfare of workers.

The State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki announced the honour for the labour leaders at the inauguration of the newly-constructed Labour House, in Benin, the state capital.

Foremost among those honoured is the late Pa Michael Imoudu, who is generally regarded as the father of labour unionism in Nigeria and a former president of the NLC, Adams Oshiomhole.

Others are Lasisi Osunde (former secretary of NLC), late Dr Festus Iyayi, Comrade Lawson Osagie, late Jonathan Ihonde, former TUC president, Peter Esele, Dr Osahon Enabulele and the current President of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Festus Osifo.

The New Labour House which was built for the NLC and TUC, was named after the past NLC president and immediate past Governor of the State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, while others received various awards and post-humor awards respectively.

The NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, who delivered the inaugural lecture titled, “Leveraging the legacies of Pa. Michael Imoudu as a way of fostering harmonious and productive industrial relations”, commended the state government for deeming it necessary to honour the labour unionists that contributed during their period in the affairs of organized labour leadership in the country.

The NLC President while speaking on the legacies of the late Pa Michael Imoudu, recalled that the first labour unionist in the country engaged the colonialists for the betterment of the Nigeria workers.

He explained that he was attacked, harassed, and suffered humiliation and imprisonment at the hands of the colonial masters for workers in the country to have a better welfare working condition.

Meanwhile, Comrade Joe Ajaero has commended Governor Godwin Obaseki for increasing workers’ minimum wage from ₦40,000 to ₦70,000.

Ajaero described the increment as a demonstration of the government’s empathy and commitment to its workforce.