Gbenga Omotoso, the commissioner for information and strategy for Lagos State, has refuted claims that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu used the state's recent wage increase for public employees as a purely political ploy to win the upcoming general elections.
In an interview with journalists in Lagos, the commissioner said, "Such insinuations are false considering the fact that the state has been led by the All Progressives Congress (APC) since the restoration of civil rule in the nation.
“No matter the percentage of the increment, anyone putting more money in people’s pockets is doing the person a whole lot of good. “The governor is saying that we appreciate the service you are providing and despite the fact that things are so hard you’re still carrying on and you are putting smiles on the faces of Lagosians, who are coming to government offices.
“No matter how low or high the percentage maybe I think the symbolism is that at this particular time, Mr Governor feels that workers deserve a raise and he has pronounced it.
“If you listen to him very well, he said he has instructed the office Head of Service, Establishment, State Treasury Office to come together to look at these and see what the numbers are and see how we can go, but that workers are now going to get a pay rise is a foregone conclusion.”
“I think the whole world is hailing him for doing that but if people are now saying it is for political reasons, let so many people in positions of authority also do so for political reasons and raise salary.”
Omotoso added that apart from the salary increment many projects are currently waiting for commission in the state.
He said, “We have over 30 schools for us to be commissioned, we also have housing projects to be commissioned before the end of the year and jetties are also included.”
“We are building the infrastructure for the Blue line Rail system that will take passengers from Marina to Mile 2. We also have the Redline that will convey passengers from Oyingbo to Agabado, both of them will be ready at the end of this year
“A few days ago we saw the Trains for the red line arrive at the port, that shows that the rail project that we are working on is an alternative that we are talking about and it’s a linkage among all models of transportation.”