Edo Public Service Best in Africa Says Obaseki as he flaunts contributions to workers’ welfare in last May Day celebration

Reflecting on his engagement with the workforce in over seven and a half years of his administration, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State said on Tuesday that raising the state’s minimum wage from ₦40,000 to ₦70,000, an increase of over 75% percent, was a reflection of how much the government valued their work as well as its unwavering commitment to rewarding hard work as a government.

Governor Obaseki, who is scheduled to leave office November 11, 2024, said working with the workers had been rewarding as the government had been able to grow the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by over 140 percent.

In a statement in commemoration of this year’s Workers’ Day, observed every May 1, the governor said, “This is my last year in office, and I dare say that I have had the best of time working with workers in Edo State. The experience has been exhilarating. I am happy that working with you all, we grew the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by over 140 percent. For me, that is rewarding.

“It has indeed been enriching journey working, and I am glad that we are signing off on an exciting note as only two days ago, I announced that we have raised the Edo State minimum wage from ₦40,000 to ₦70,000, an increase of over 75% percent, which reflects how much we have come to value the work you do and which also speaks to our unwavering commitment to rewarding hard work as a government.”

Chronicling his achievements in enhancing workers’ welfare and efficiency, Obaseki said “From infrastructure upgrade to prioritising technology and improving incentives for work, we have successfully built the first state government in Nigeria to go fully digital. The rate that technology is redefining work processes in Edo today is unprecedented, and our workers can testify to the fact that the e-gov platform we have implemented has radically changed governance.

“We have migrated our workers to the Contributory Pension Scheme at the State and Local Government levels such that they have a stable post-work life even as we have transformed the work environment to promote merit, technology-compliance, a healthy work-life balance and emerged as the best public service to work on the African continent.

“We have just commissioned the Labour House, which would serve as the Secretariat of the Labour Movement in Nigeria and also as a symbol of the illustrious heritage of our people who have done great work in sustaining the Labour movement in Nigeria”.