Kwara gov urges Tinubu to raise minimum wage from N70,000 to N100,000

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[00:00:03]Well, uh Mr. President, welcome to the villa.

[00:00:07]Now, my speech goes to repeat basically what um the governor of Imo State has said, but I'll truly like to capture your courage.

[00:00:19]And um only 1% of politicians, in my opinion, would take the decisions you took.

[00:00:26]I remember we were in China when I got a call from the National Security Adviser and the DG DSS saying that all subsidy will be removed and there's no going back.

[00:00:42]We went into panic mode.

[00:00:44]I sent a message out to my colleagues at the NGF.

[00:00:48]And nobody wanted to hear that.

[00:00:52]I gathered um my colleagues in China with me then.

[00:00:56]Governor Sanwo-Olu was there, governor of Kaduna State, and a few others. We met and said, "How will this How can this be implemented?"

[00:01:05]It was impossible.

[00:01:07]Phone calls back to Nigeria and forth.

[00:01:10]So, we decided to book an appointment to see Mr. President to let him know that this cannot work.

[00:01:18]Well, Mr. President invited us for dinner.

[00:01:22]And um we went to dinner.

[00:01:24]We sat down and listened to his vision for Nigeria.

[00:01:29]And at the end of the day, we couldn't even bring up the topic. We don't even know if he had gotten scratch a thought about why we were coming for dinner, but we couldn't bring up the issue. Went back to our room and um we decided, well, we just have to implement it. So, we called advised each other to call state security council meetings because we were expecting serious riots because there were riots and bad government riots Even before then and for lesser issues.

[00:02:02]Well, lo and behold, we spent money, we we mobilized the security agencies to everybody secure your state.

[00:02:10]Lo and behold, on that day, nothing happened.

[00:02:14]There was no riots, there was no protest anywhere.

[00:02:18]I think the nation was shocked by the audacity of Mr. President to implement that serious um policy.

[00:02:27]Now, today, we've benefited immensely from that policy.

[00:02:32]I can say as a matter of fact, in my own state, when we get the FAAC allocation, after paying salaries, we're left with 100 or 200 million.

[00:02:42]And then mark you, it would cost about 100 million to build a kilometer of road.

[00:02:48]So, all states resorted to issuing bonds and borrowing money.

[00:02:54]Today, states are not going to borrow money, they're not going to issue bonds. In fact, we're reducing our debt burden.

[00:03:01]Some states have paid their debts like Delta state has paid its debt and we in Kwara, we reduced our debt by 40%.

[00:03:09]Um So, the benefits are there. Look at minimum wage has gone up. And on the issue of minimum wage, um most of the states are paying almost 100,000 naira today.

[00:03:24]And I urge your Excellency to let's all have a discussion on moving the minimum wage to a minimum of 100,000. We know we'll get the normal support from you as we go ahead to implement that. Now, I can keep talking about various projects across this country. Um like the Lagos-Calabar, which opens up a lot of investments, like the Badagry-Sokoto, which opens a lot of investment. The AKK um pipeline.

[00:03:55]So, there's a lot to say, but what amazes me is your audacity to hold on to this report, reforms, and see it through. And that is something that's commendable. A round of applause for Mr. President, please.

[00:04:08]>> [applause] >> So, well, you've shown the leadership and we're following you through. We'll continue to follow you as you go along and we pray to God to give you the strength and wisdom to continue to lead Nigeria in the forthright manner which you have been doing. There's a lot to be said, but today is to wish you a happy Sallah and um some of our governors are in Saudi Arabia, the holy land, and a few of them send their apologies. Our Ogun state went for Gideo by his on his way here. It's his birthday today, incidentally. Um so, sir, uh you can count on the governors.

[00:04:48]When you look back, you see all of us lining up behind you. Why do you think um many of the states have governors have come into APC? It's because of what they see. Um the vision, the the development. There's no state you will go to today in Nigeria that you would not see development. Hitherto in my first term, only the federal government employed Julius Berger and maybe Lagos because Lagos is a shareholder in Julius Berger.

[00:05:17]Today, today, Julius Berger has more contracts in states than the federal government. That shows you the tilt of balance. Work is going on in the states. Employment is going on in the states. Job creation is going on in the states. Yes, also social investment is going on in the state. We thank you for the student loan.

[00:05:39]Farmers, traders can now be at peace and know that their children will be in universities while they divert the normal resources to other things. So, you fed up that. In terms of agriculture, dry season farming has come to stay. And it's helping our state.

[00:05:57]You are doing this. Federal government doesn't have the land to farm. The land is in the states, but you're reaching out to the states tractorization. So, work is going on. We're living up to our own responsibilities in our various states and we'll continue once again to count on your leadership and also to thank our honorable vice president, the chair of the National Economic Council.

[00:06:22]He has represented you very well and strong shown strong leadership at the National Economic Council. So, um once again, Mr. President, thank you very much indeed, sir.