Ayodele Olorunfemi, governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Ondo, says he will implement N120,000 as the minimum wage if elected.
The off-cycle governorship election in Ondo is scheduled for November 16.
Olorunfemi said the cost of living in the country has gone up astronomically, noting that there is a need to pay a minimum wage that reflects socio-economic realities.
“As of 2023, when we were campaigning, we assured our people that LP would be paying a minimum of the N80,000 minimum wage in Ondo; that was before the economy got to where it is today,” NAN quoted him saying.
“With the situation in the market now, looking at the cost of living, if this state is put under our control, we shall not pay anything less than N120,000 as the minimum wage.
“That is the minimum we can pay, and we believe we will be able to afford it.”
Olorunfemi also pledged to boost the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR) by hiring more workers and incentivising them to be productive.
He added that his administration would prioritise the construction of a dry port to alleviate traffic inflow into Lagos from the state and its surrounding areas, if elected.
“The fact that I know is that what we have now can pay the minimum wage,” Olorunfemi said.
“We want our workers to be productive so that more wealth can come to the state.
“When we take over as LP, the first agenda item is to make sure there is a port in Ondo state to boost business and the economy.
“We are working with the Alaba International Market Association in Lagos. We are going to work on how to have our own dry port to decongest Alaba International Market in Lagos.
“We are getting a dry port at Ore and a very big international market that will reduce traffic inflow to Lagos.”