Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, has approved the disbursement of the newly set N70,000 minimum wage to civil servants in the state, starting with their January salaries.
This announcement was made in a statement signed by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Abubakar Bawa, which confirmed that the new wage would be applicable to both state civil servants and local government employees across Sokoto.
A Step Toward Worker Welfare
The payment aligns with the federal government’s newly approved minimum wage policy and fulfills an earlier commitment made by Governor Aliyu.
In his statement, Governor Aliyu expressed his expectations for civil servants to respond to this positive development with increased dedication.
“We expect a renewed commitment, hard work, punctuality, and, above all, seriousness from our civil servants,” he stated.
Commitment to Timely Payments
Governor Aliyu also reassured workers that his administration would continue to ensure prompt salary payments between the 19th and 22nd of every month, underscoring his administration’s worker-friendly stance.
Before the current administration, Sokoto’s civil servants faced significant delays in salary payments, with wages sometimes disbursed 50 days after the due date, instead of the usual 25-30 days.
However, with the new government in place, civil servants now receive their salaries within the promised time frame.
Addressing Retiree Gratuities
In addition to the salary increases, the state government has also committed to settling the backlog of unpaid gratuities for retirees.
To address this, Sokoto has earmarked N500 million each month to clear arrears, while an additional N300 million is allocated for gratuities for retirees from 2023 onward.
This financial plan aims to ensure that by the end of the current administration’s tenure, no civil servant will be owed gratuity by the state government.
With these progressive steps, Governor Aliyu’s administration is demonstrating a strong commitment to improving the welfare of Sokoto’s civil servants and retirees, fostering a productive and well-supported workforce.
What impact do you think the new minimum wage will have on Sokoto’s workforce? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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