Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo on Tuesday reduced the number of work days that civil and public servants would have to commute to their workplaces from five days to three days a week, amongst other measures.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Benin, Obaseki said the measure was part of efforts to ameliorate the sufferings currently faced by the people in the wake of the rise in prices of goods and services occasioned by the fuel subsidy removal.
Edo State joins Kwara State Government which on Monday directed that work days be reduced from five days to three per week for every worker in the state.
This according to the Kwara government is following the astronomical hike in transport fare.
According to the Edo State Government, “In the wake of fuel subsidy removal by the Federal Government, fuel prices have increased astronomically, leading to rise in prices of goods and services and overall cost of living.
“The Edo State Government shares the pains of our people and wants to assure everyone that we are standing with them in these very challenging times.
“We want to reassure our people that we will do all within our powers as a sub-national government to reduce the pains and ameliorate the sufferings our people are currently facing due to the current realities.
“As a proactive government, we have since taken the step to increase the minimum wage paid to workers in Edo State from the approved N30,000 to N40,000.
“We hope to increase it even further, if more allocation accrues to our state from the Federal Government in view of the expected savings from the removal of the fuel subsidy,” the governor said.
According to him, we know the hardship that has been caused by this policy which has increased the cost of transportation, eating deep into the wages of workers in the state.
“Therefore, the Edo State Government is hereby reducing the number of work days that civil and public servants will have to commute to their workplaces from five days to three days a week till further notice.
“Workers will now work from home two days every week.
“Similarly, for teachers and parents, their commuting to school will be reduced as government is working on deepening the EdoBEST@Home initiative.
“To create more virtual classrooms, thereby, reducing the cost of commuting on parents, teachers and pupils.
“The Edo SUBEB will provide details on this initiative in the coming days,’’ Obaseki said.
He said that to lower the rising cost of energy on the people, the state government would continue to work with the electricity companies in the state to improve power supply to homes and businesses.
“Similarly, fiber optics connections are being made available to help our people work remotely, thereby reducing their cost of transportation,” he said.
Obaseki called on all to remain calm and go about their daily businesses lawfully while government intensified effort to alleviate the burden of fuel price.
The Kwara State Head of Service, Mrs Susan Oluwole, in the same vein had earlier directed all Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to immediately work out a format indicating the alternating work days for each worker under them.
Oluwole said that the government took the temporary measure to ease the burden on public workers in the state.
She also said that it was part of measures to relieve the state workers of the hardship being experienced as a result of the fuel subsidy removal announced by the Federal Government.
She, however, warned the workers not to abuse the magnanimity of the governor, stressing that the regular monitoring of MDAs by her office would be intensified to ensure strict compliance.
