Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has announced a six-month extension of the payment of special wage awards to civil servants and pensioners, aimed at mitigating the impact of the subsidy removal on essential fuel. The announcement took place during the commissioning of the 12.5-kilometre Challenge-Odo Ona Elewe-Apata Road in Ibadan, attended by numerous political figures, including Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State.

Makinde emphasized the importance of the extension, allowing the Federal Government to conclude its negotiations with labor unions on a minimum wage. He initially introduced the wage award in October 2023 to alleviate the economic hardship faced by civil servants and pensioners after the subsidy removal on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) by the Federal Government in May last year.

The governor expressed, “When this economic crisis started, we gave wage awards to workers to cushion the effect. We started in October and said it would be for six months. I wanted that time to be able to sort out what the minimum wage should be. We have not been able to achieve that. So, I am announcing that the wage award will be extended by another six months to give us time to close out the minimum wage discussion and negotiation.”

Governor Makinde further highlighted the recent meeting of PDP Governors in Abuja, focusing on addressing the economic challenges faced by the people. He emphasized the need to assist the populace during these trying times, urging politicians to refrain from spreading misinformation and to prioritize genuine support for the citizens.