AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, governor of Kwara State, has authorized a palliative payment of N10,000 per month for employees.
The N10,000 monthly palliative is intended to assist employees in adjusting to the recent elimination of gasoline subsidies and its associated economic effects.
At a news conference held on Monday at the Government House in Ilorin and addressed by the governor’s chief press secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, the government’s decision was revealed.
Ajakaye stated, “On top of the palliatives is a cash assistance of N10,000 for every public sector worker in the state. This cash support will start this month (July) and last until a new minimum wage is imposed to help workers deal with the economic shocks brought on by the subsidy elimination.
The governor has instructed the leadership of the civil service to continue a staggered work schedule — not exceeding three days a week — to minimize transportation costs for employees, he said, in deference to the National Economic Council’s new advisory, which calls for states to develop their own independent responses to the development.
Kwara had already implemented a 3-day workweek for its civil servants, but it was postponed in observance of an earlier NEC recommendation that states wait for a more comprehensive reaction to the issue.
According to the governor’s spokesman, the staggered work schedule will not apply to “critical staff.”
“The governor has also approved the payment of new hazard and skipping allowances beginning in this month, July, as well as 100% CONMESS for consultants and medical professionals on the government payroll.
He also gave his approval to a new system of benefits for state government nurses. The goal overall is to reduce attrition in the healthcare industry and recruit and keep qualified doctors and experts on staff so that they can give the state’s residents better, higher-quality healthcare services, he added.
“The governor has also approved the immediate cash-backing of promotions for 2019 and 2020 for Teaching Service Commission employees. For TESCOM for the years 2015–2018, the administration previously had cash-backed promotion arrears.
The promotion process for SUBEB’s teaching and non-teaching personnel will take place in 2021, and he has granted budgetary assistance for that process as well as the reinstatement of stages for everyone. Since 2016, when SUBEB employees were no longer provided with steps, this policy has been in accordance to their desires.
“The Governor also approved the expansion of free bus trips for students attending tertiary institutions in the state, and in the coming days, modalities for sporadic food delivery to the most vulnerable and impoverished homes will be activated.
“This shall be nonpartisan and shall be coordinated by a government team to be assisted by respected stakeholders who shall obtain input from traditional rulers, religious bodies, market leaders, trade unionists, and community-based organizations to generate the beneficiary lists and disburse in accordance with.
“The goal of these interventions, which devour billions of naira in taxpayer money, is to demonstrate compassion and use all of the resources the government can muster to assist the populace during this momentous occasion.
The Governor has also given the go-ahead for the Kwara State Social Investment Programme (KWASSIP) to activate N500 million in conditional support for MSMEs and small- and medium-sized businesses (PMEs) in the state.
“The state government will purchase grains and fertilisers from the federal government and receive them. It’s not gratis. Later, methods for handling these will be made available. This will increase agricultural productivity and state-wide food security.
“In the meantime, the government will form a committee to communicate with marketers about the need to stop extortionist tendencies as evidenced in the arbitrarily fixing of food prices. This practice makes it difficult for Eve.
