Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has announced a surprise salary increment for workers in the Lagos Public Service.
Sanwo-Olu made the announcement during a working visit to the Alausa Secretariat while meeting with public servants of the Lagos State Public Service on Tuesday.
Sanwo-Olu said the planned increment was informed by the inflation and hardship faced by the workers in the state and Nigerians in general.
While addressing the workers, who came out in large numbers to welcome him at the office of the Head of Service, the governor, however, did not mention the percentage of the increment and when it will kick off, adding that the modalities are being worked out.
According to him, “A salary increase is on the way and the government will work it out as soon as possible.
”You have not asked for this one. I have looked around and I know that as a country, there is pressure and I know that as a country, there is high level of inflation. I know that as a country, there is high cost of living.
”Last month, at a cabinet meeting, I instructed the Head of Service Office and the Ministry of Establishment, Training and Pension to start work on how we are going to increase the entire salary of the public service.
”I don’t want us to be a Lagos of ”Buga”; we want to reflect it in our salary. I am aware of the pressure on all of you, and the pressure of inflation in the country. We are not going to wait for the Federal Government. This is Lagos. We are Lagos.
”We are going to review it. We’re going to ensure that we can indeed take care of our public service. Once we do that, not only will we expect a lot more from you, but residents of the state will see the benefit of doing the right thing.
”We don’t want to wait for a union to hold us to ransom. We want a government that is proactive, that will need to reflect on the yearnings of the people and make that happen,” he said.
The governor also promised that the administration will present 100 brand new cars to some of the directors in the Civil Service starting from the end of this month, while those on the core establishment duty will receive a 25% duty allowance increment.
Sanwo-Olu thanked the workers for supporting his administration, saying he has been part and parcel of them.
“I am one of you and part of you. The support I have received from you has been unprecedented. I appreciate the support you have given my government. The future is bright and there is nothing too much for us to do as a government,” he said.
He, however, urged the workers to do more to ‘serve all Lagosians.’
The Head of Service, Hakeem Muri-Okunola, in his welcome address, thanked the governor for fulfilling some of the promises he made to the workers when he first visited them in 2019.
He said that 80% of the promises Sanwo-Olu made has been fulfilled and thanked the governor on behalf of the 99,000 workforce.
Reeling out some of the achievements of the governor, the HOS said 35 new staff buses were given to the workers, prompt payment of staff salaries, international training for workers, among others.
