Ekiti govt raises committee on new minimum wage

• Begins negotiation with labour
• Stakeholders seek inclusion of more women in elective positions

Ekiti State Government has inaugurated a 13-member negotiation committee to commence meetings with the organised labour on the minimum wage payment in the state.

According to a statement, yesterday, by Special Adviser (Media) to the Governor, Yinka Oyebode, the decision followed the signing of the minimum wage law by the President.

Oyebode said the negotiation committee comprises of government officials and leadership of the organised labour in the state.

The statement added that the first meeting of the committee is slated for Wednesday, September 4, 2024.

MEANWHILE, women stakeholders in Ekiti State have advocated the need for more women participation in elective positions in future polls across the country, saying that the five per cent positions for women currently in elective positions are among the least in African countries.

They spoke, at the weekend, during the stakeholders’ engagement and sensitisation in Ado-Ekiti on women political participation organised by the Balm in Gilead Foundation for Sustainable Development (BIGIF) with support from United Nations (UN) Women and the government of Canada.

The event was attended by officials of the state’s Ministry of Women Affairs, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations (CSOs), market women groups and associations, including the media.

In her opening remarks , the Executive Director of BIGIF, Oluwatumininu Adedeji, said that the organisation was committed to the advancement of the womenfolk in the political scene by creating platforms for their voices to be heard.

Adedeji, who was represented by the Project Coordinator, Jude Oluwagbenga, called on the stakeholders to intensify efforts in the advocacy for more women participation in politics through their platforms and organisations.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Country Representative of UN Women, Zephaniah Aura, commended the state government and its agency for the inclusion of women in the leadership and political positions in the state.

Aura, who disclosed that Ekiti State was the second after Plateau to domesticate the equal opportunity and gender law, said all efforts must be geared towards sustaining the current feat of women in both appointed and elected positions in the state.

Principal Research Officer at the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Dr Idris Ibrahim, while speaking on the strategies for the implementation of the state’s equal opportunities law passed since 2013, said there is need for deliberate efforts towards a legal framework for the implementation of the law in the state through a commission.

Ibrahim, who disclosed that the state stood out in the country in the area of women political participation, urged women to get early more involved in politics ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He said that Nigeria is lagging behind in putting in place a legal framework to guarantee more opportunities for women compared to some African countries like South Africa, Sierra-Leone, Malawi and Rwanda.

According to him, the leadership of NILDS and other stakeholders would remain resolute towards the passage of the equal opportunities bill in the National Assembly.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Peju Babafemi, said successive governments and the current administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji had given priority to women participation in politics and leadership in the state.

The Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Owoola Daramola, reiterated the resolve of political parties in the state not to discriminate against the women but accord them more opportunities to contribute to the development of the country.

Daramola said that records across levels had shown that women perform better in leadership positions, urging them not to be discouraged but more determined to participate in the political process, especially from the grassroots.