By AISHA COLE

The Chairman of Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State, Mr Fatai Ayoola, has said that local governments have no reason not to pay the newly-approved N70,000 minimum wage.

Ayoola said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

He said that, with increased federal allocations under the President Bola Tinubu’s administration and the recently-granted financial autonomy, local governments had been well-equipped to pay the new wage.

According to him, local governments recorded 100 per cent increase in federal allocations under the present administration.

“There is no reason councils should not be able to pay the minimum wage, with direct federal allocations to them.

“Ajeromi-Ifelodun pays more than the minimum wage in terms of allowances added to salaries of our members of staff.

“Paying the minimum wage will not pose any issue to us and will not affect our ongoing and future projects,” he said.

He added that the council regularly gave palliatives to its staff and community members.

“We buy a trailer of rice on monthly basis and we bag the rice into 10kgs and sell for less than N7,000 to people in our communities.

“We also distribute portions of cow meat, we take care of security outfits that support in protecting our environment,” he said.

He commended President Bola Tinubu for facilitating financial autonomy for local governments.

He said that local governments should make more impact on their communities and ensure accountability.

Ayoola added that local council officials should make necessary sacrifices for the good of the people at the grassroots.

He told NAN that the council’s management, including councillors, donated their three months’ salaries for rebuilding of the council’s secretariat burnt by hoodlums during the 2020 #EndSARS protest.

“When our premises was gutted by fire during the #EndSARS protest, we lost 84 vehicles, 26 of which were brand new.

“The Federal Government did not give us anything but Lagos State Government gave us six vehicles,” he said.

Ayoola urged Nigerians to hold their local government chairmen accountable. (NAN)

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