BY ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA
Tuesday, 17th December, 2024 will remain unforgettable in the memories of government workers in Ekiti State as it was the day they received a surprise package from the ever-caring Governor, His Excellency Biodun Oyebanji.
When the civil servants reported for work as from 8.00am on that day, little did they know that they would smile home in an unprecedented manner and also take the good news to their respective families.
Activities were going on smoothly at various ministries, departments and agencies until around 12noon on that day when the workers started receiving salary alerts on their phones.
Unlike other usual text messages, salary alerts are special ones because they convey the message of the reward of one’s labour for that particular month and this brings relief and a sense of fulfillment anytime it is received.
But this December alert in Ekiti was a special alert, it was an unusual alert and it was an alert the workers had never received before. This alert reflected the implementation of the new minimum wage of N70,000 which the state government signed with the labour centres in the state.
The sounding of the salary alerts came with unusual outpouring of joy mixed with surprise, disbelief, excitement and spontaneous shouts of joy at the State Secretariat, Governor’s Office and other government offices across the state.
One after the other, the workers started drawing the attention of their colleagues to the receipt of the alerts. As the attention of some anxious workers who were yet to receive theirs were being drawn to the arrival of the alerts by their colleagues who had received, they too had their phones vibrating with the receipt of their own alerts.
Before one says Jack Robinson, the phones were already buzzing as workers were putting calls across to their spouses, friends, family members, neighbours and other acquaintances who are also on the payroll of the government to confirm whether they had received their own alerts.
The arrival of the alerts on the workers’ phones opened the floodgates of prayers for Governor Oyebanji for fulfilling an all-important promise of commencing the payment of the new minimum wage before the year runs out.
The social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp and TikTok were awash with videos of workers jubilating enthusiastically inside their offices and within the premises of the buildings where their MDAs were located.
The celebration mood was not discriminatory as senior officers joined their junior ones in celebrating the official receipt of the first installment of the minimum wage. The circulation of the videos on the social media drew the attention of the outside world to what was happening in Ekiti.
Unable to keep their joy to themselves, sizable number of civil servants trooped to the Governor’s Office to express their gratitude to Governor Oyebanji for springing the positive surprise with about one week to the celebration of Christmas.
They sang, they danced and hailed the Governor for fulfilling his promise to implement the new wage. It was an atmosphere of joy as the Governor accompanied by the Deputy Governor, Mrs Monisade Afuye; the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Habibat Adubiaro watched the unfolding spectacle of revelry.
To some individuals, there is nothing special about payment of salaries but fiscal challenges facing the nation in the recent past has made governments that honour their commitments to their workers to attract commendations.
It was a culmination of several months of hard work, meetings, negotiation and bargaining, compromise, give and take, concessions and shifting of grounds to arrive at mutually acceptable decisions.
The impact of the pay rise will be felt in may homes with families’ purchasing power now boosted in their bid to meet their needs and enjoy a better welfare.
Local market women and traders, artisans, transporters and other daily income earners are already salivating because the wage increase means more patronage from the workers benefiting from the latest pay rise.
The capacity of many workers to repay loans, participate in thrifts and other financial contributions has been enhanced. The benefits are just limitless hence the joy the payment of the new wage has elicited.
The payment of the new wage has confirmed Governor Oyebanji as a promise keeper and a lover of workers who is desirous of motivating them in a bid to ensure that they give their best in the performance of their official duties.
This is another incentive for workers in a state where monthly dedications are paid, subvention to tertiary institutions are paid, workers and school pupils enjoy free bus rides and pensioners’ monthly pensions and gratuities are also of priority to the government.
The Governor has proved time and again that his words are his bond in fulfilling his promises to the workers and the entire people of the state. It is this kind of fidelity that invigorates the legitimacy enjoyed by the government.
It has cemented the trust of the workers and indeed that of the general public that Mr Governor is a reliable leader worthy of holding the sacred mandate given to him since 16th October 2022.
As the workers are still basking in the euphoria of the latest pay rise, they and indeed other people in Ekiti State will be hoping for more goodies from the Oyebanji Administration as the Shared Prosperity train is already on the home stretch.
Ogunmola is Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media (Print Media)