From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Zamfara State Rescue Movement (ZSRM) has lambasted the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State over the N70,000 minimum wage implementation.
The APC spokesman, Yusuf Gusau, had claimed that the payment of the much awaited N70,000 minimum wage by Governor Dauda Lawal was a deceit to hoodwink civil servants.
But, ZSRM coordinator, Lawal Usman Idris, in a statement, yesterday, accused the APC of being envious of the achievements of Governor Lawal.
Idris said: “We would have ignored this outburst by the opposition party in Zamfara State (APC), which was circulated on social media. “As a leading pro-democracy group in Zamfara State, we consider it appropriate to put the record straight in order not to mislead unsuspecting members of the public.
“APC was right to state that Dr Dauda Lawal is an action governor, a compassionate leader who is in a hurry to fulfil his campaign promises to the good people of Zamfara State.
“To, however, state that the governor is working hard, particularly in the implementation of the minimum wage to civil servants as a means to gain their support is a deliberate distortion of Lawal’s blueprint for the transformation of Zamfara State, which he met in a deplorable condition, aside from the rampaging armed bandits’ attacks, kidnapping for ransom, cattle rustling, displacement of indigenes from their ancestral homes and empty treasury.
“Freedom of expression is a fundamental right, Governor Dauda Lawal’s government welcomes it, but to distort facts and try to incite citizens against the government they overwhelmingly voted into office and still support is unpatriotic and counterproductive.”
According to the former Senior Special Assistant to the immediate past Governor of Zamfara State, once an election is over, all lovers of democracy and good governance “are expected to close ranks, cooperate with the government in meeting the needs of the people, particularly an economic recession as we currently have in Nigeria.
“Partisan politics should be set aside as the government strives to provide dividends of democracy to citizens. This is what APC failed to understand.
“Politics of bitterness has no place in Zamfara State, which was why the people voted out the party in the 2023 gubernatorial election and why the party also remains factionalised in the state without direction and future.
“It is on record that Dr Lawal is the first governor in Zamfara State to implement a national minimum wage currently at N70,000 monthly at a time most state governments opposed it as untenable.
“The government of Bello Matawalle of the APC could not pay the minimum wage of N30,000, instead he paid N7000 to civil servants for a monthly salary.
“Civil servants were demoralised and impoverished, which grossly affected their potentials and productivity that are essential in charting economic growth and prosperity.
“Despite this meagre salary, workers and pensioners were equally owed months of their wages and pensions. Promotion, human capital development training etc, were suspended due to lack of initiatives and strategic management of scarce resources.
“We do not blame the opposition APC for being envious of a performing governor, the people of Zamfara State have never had it so good since the state was created.”
He urged Gov Lawal to remain focused in delivering the dividends of democracy to citizens of the state.