Plateau govt set to pay new minimum wage ― Lalong

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has expressed the determination of his government to pay the new minimum wage including the arrears that might arise as a result of the delay in implementation.

The governor who spoke through the state commissioner of information, Daniel Manjan, said the administration has since made up its mind to pay the minimum wage adding that there was no need for any negotiation with any group or person before the implementation.

According to him, the government has since set up a committee to work out modalities for the implementation adding that the governor has said he has no justifiable reason not to pay after being part of the committee that arrived at N30,000 minimum wage approved by President Mohammadu Buhari.

Governor Lalong averred that workers of any nation constitute the backbone of government who need genuine encouragement socially and financially in their duty, adding that his administration was more determined than before to further motivate its civil servants by improving their welfare.

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“It is not the issue of capacity to pay, the government will definitely implement the new minimum wage. Presently, the government is up to date in the payment of salary to its workforce, also pensions are being paid regularly. This goes to show that the state is committed to the welfare of its civil servants.

“The government has set up Committee towards the implementation, nobody is talking of negotiation. The civil servants are simply waiting for the implementation. They are therefore charged to put in more efforts in the area of revenue generation to enable the government to continue with the prompt payment of salary and other entitlements,” he said.

On the insinuation that troops had been withdrawn from the troubled Gashishi in Barakin local government area of the state, Governor Lalong described it as a figment of some people’s imagination, adding the military and police drafted to the area are still on the ground to maintain law and order.

“It would be counter-productive for the government to build a mobile police barracks in Gashishi and withdraw the troop. It is a lie, the troop are still on ground,” he said.