Kwara Gov approves bonus for civil servants amid tax controversy
Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, has approved a financial bonus that is equivalent to the monthly PAYE obligation for every civil servant in the state, including Local Government workers.
The emergency support measure will last for at least three months, according to a statement by the Commissioner for Finance Dr Hauwa Nuru issued on Monday.
“This bonus has been approved as a buffer to bridge the gap that the correct PAYE deduction may have wrought on the newly implemented minimum wage. It is meant to serve as a soothing balm as workers adjust to the PAYE that was just correctly implemented in line with the Personal Income Tax Act,” she said.
“The payment of the bonus is effective from October and will run till December 2024. This is a significant step by His Excellency to support workers”, the commissioner added.
Recall that the organised labour in the state, comprising of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress last week complained of high taxes deducted from the worker’s salary following the implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage approved for workers in the state.
The State Administrative Committee of the organised Labour in a statement jointly signed by the NLC Chairman, Comrade Muritala Olayinka; TUC Chairman, Comrade Olayinka Onikijipa; Coalition of Health Workers Union, Comrade Isaac Bolatito; and state Chairman and Secretary, Joint Negotiation Council, Comrade Saliu Suleiman and Comrade Tunde Joseph respectively said that the implementation of the minimum wage by the government was at variance with what was agreed during the negotiation with the workers.
“Arising from the Joint SAC of NLC and TUC, we strongly condemned the recent tax imposed on Kwara State workers and demand a reversal of it to avoid industrial disharmony.
