The lawmaker representing Ibadan South West state constituency 2 in the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Oluwafemi Fowokanmi Adebayo has commended Governor Seyi Makinde for including the 14,500 newly recruited teachers in the payment scheme of N80,000 minimum wage.
Hon. Adebayo, who is the Chairman, Committee on Education (Tertiary) also praised the state governor for giving priority to the education sector by allocating 21.44 percent of the 2025 proposed budget.
The lawmaker gave the commendation shortly after the special plenary session on Wednesday.
In his reaction to Governor Makinde’s idea to include the newly recruited teachers in the payment scheme of the N80,000 new minimum wage, Hon. Adebayo said that the kind gesture by the governor will not only boost the morale of teachers, but will also raise the standard of teaching in the state.
He expressed that Governor Seyi Makinde has not been relenting in motivating the teachers and entire workforce in the state in terms of welfare package and creation of enabling environment to work.
Hon. Adebayo added that the inclusion of the new teachers will contribute to effective and efficient teaching delivery.
The lawmaker emphasized that the governor has once again exhibited his peoples-centered quality that is not common among leaders.
He said that the 21 percent allocation to the education sector will consolidate on the records of achievements of the present administration since 2019.
Hon. Adebayo maintained that Oyo State has been setting the pace for other states to follow in terms of budget allocation to the education sector, noting that the governor has been working in line with the UNESCO recommendation of 26 percent every year.
The lawmaker disclosed that this is to ensure that all renovations, constructions and provisions as proposed by the governor in the education sector are carried out in the next budget year.
Governor Seyi Makinde, in his budget presentation on Wednesday said that “the new teachers will be part of the beneficiaries of the N80,000 minimum wage which we are proposing for civil servants in Oyo State as we transition from the wage award of N25,000 for civil servants and N10,000 for pensioners.
“Education gets the second highest appropriation at one hundred and forty-five billion, three hundred and fifty-four million, seven hundred and eighty-three thousand, three hundred- and ninety-nine-naira, eighty kobo (N145,354,783,399.80). This is 21.44% of the total budget. As stated before, the infrastructure deficit in this sector and our inability to meet up with our plans in the last year has necessitated an increase in the allocation. We hope to renovate a number of schools in the coming year.”
