Special adviser on salary and pensions, to Jigawa state governor, Bashir Ado, has been suspended for issuing a statement on the implementation of the new N70,000 minimum wage.
In a statement by the secretary to the state government, Bala Ibrahim, the state government described the statement as “premature”
The SSG explained that the claim was premature and did not reflect the government’s official position.
“The government viewed with serious concern a statement circulating in various sections of the media alleging that the governor has approved N70,000 as the new minimum wage for workers in the state.
“This sounds embarrassing and premature as the committee headed by the Head of the State Civil Service, set up by the government to advice on the appropriate wage, is yet to complete its assignment and submit a report,” he said.
Ibrahim explained that, as a result of the incident, the governor had approved the immediate suspension of Ado, pending the outcome of an investigation.
“The committee, chaired by Bello Abdulkadir, the Attorney-General of the state and Commissioner for Justice, has been given two weeks to investigate the source and actual content of the alleged statement, as well as the motive behind it,” he added.
“The investigative committee also include Sagir Musa, commissioner for Information, Youth, Sports, and Culture; Abdullahi Muhammad, Commissioner for Health; and Muhammad Yahaya, Permanent Secretary of Establishment and Service Matters, office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).
The committee is expected to submit its findings within two weeks.
The controversy began when reports circulated in the media suggesting that Governor Namadi had approved the new N70,000 minimum wage for state workers.
Governor Namadi’s decision to suspend Ado appears to signal his administration’s caution in addressing wage increases while awaiting the committee’s recommendations. The government emphasized that any decision on the new minimum wage would only be made after careful consideration of the committee’s report.
