Kwara PDP Challenges Gov AbdulRazaq, Labour Unions Over “Lifeless” ₦70,000 Minimum Wage

Kwara PDP Challenges Gov AbdulRazaq, Labour Unions Over “Lifeless” ₦70,000 Minimum Wage

The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged labour unions in the state to demand a review of what it described as the “lifeless ₦70,000 minimum wage” currently paid to workers by the Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq-led administration.

The party’s call followed the announcement by Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, who increased his state’s minimum wage from ₦76,000 to ₦104,000, prompting the PDP to question why Kwara, under the leadership of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum chairman, remains behind.

In a statement issued by the PDP’s state Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Adewara, the party said, “It is sad that the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, who is supposed to be setting the pace for others, is lagging in this critical area.”

The party argued that with Kwara’s rising Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and large federal allocations, civil servants deserve more. “It is unacceptable that a corps member now earns more monthly pay than a Grade Level 8 Kwara civil servant,” the statement read.

The PDP criticised the October 2024 introduction of the ₦70,000 minimum wage in Kwara, describing it as “the lowest compared to neighbouring states” and “long outlived with current economic realities in the country.”

The statement further condemned the state government’s spending priorities. “A government that is investing ₦30 billion in mere hotel renovations, planning to buy ₦1.4 billion worth of cars for lawmakers, and that acquired ₦80 million worth of vehicles for each local government chairman should not find it difficult to give hardworking workers what is due to them,” it stated.

It accused the governor of neglecting his duties to the workforce. “We strongly believe that the governor is deliberately shying away from his responsibility to invest in the welfare of workers, a critical factor in boosting productivity, stimulating the local economy and arresting the spate of insecurity,” Adewara added.

“Kwara must move away from the tokenism of the civil service with the current lifeless ₦70,000 minimum wage, which is insufficient to even cover a worker’s transportation expenses for a single month,” the statement said, while encouraging labour to demand a living wage in line with national developments.