The Lagos government says Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of the state, has not announced a new minimum wage for civil servants in the nation’s commercial capital.

On Thursday, some social media reports claimed that Sanwo-Olu has increased the minimum wage in Lagos to N70,000.

The reports said the Lagos governor made the announcement while unveiling social intervention programmes.

Clarifying the report, Gbenga Omotoso, commissioner for information in Lagos, said Sanwo-Olu did not announce a new minimum wage.

Omotoso explained that Sanwo-Olu, at the unveiling of ‘Eko Cares’ in Ikeja on Wednesday, said since January, the state has been paying N35,000 wage award to workers.

The Lagos governor said workers who are earning N35,000 are now getting the sum of N70,000 monthly due to the additional wage award.

“I know that by the grace of God, very soon, we’ll see a new minimum wage that will be approved for the federal government and for the state government,” the Lagos governor was quoted as saying in a statement.

“The civil servants and all public officers, they know that since January we have continued to pay the wage allowance of minimum of N35,000 over and above what they were earning before.

“People that were earning a minimum of N35,000 to N40,000 before, they are now earning over N70,000. So, it’s important for people to know and for us to lay this thing very clearly.

“This government has doubled up and has not left its citizens on their own.”

The current national minimum wage is N30,000 and discussions on a new minimum wage are ongoing.

The American International School of Abuja (AISA) has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to provide “authentic banking details” for the refund of fees paid for the children of Yahaya Bello, immediate-past governor of Kogi state.

Bello allegedly paid $720,000 in advance as fees for five of his children from the coffers of the Kogi state government.

The children are in grade level 2 to 8 at the school.

On April 17, EFCC operatives laid siege on Bello’s residence in Abuja in an attempt to arrest him over an alleged N80.2 billion fraud.

While the operatives were at the house, Usman Ododo, governor of Kogi, arrived at the property and reportedly whisked Bello away.

In a letter addressed to the Lagos zonal commander of the EFCC, the school said the sum of $845,852 has been paid in tuition “since the 7th of September 2021 to date”.

AISA said the sum to be refunded is $760,910, because it had deducted educational services already rendered.

“Please forward to us an official written request, with the authentic banking details of the EFCC, for the refund of the above-mentioned funds as previously indicated as part of your investigation into the alleged money laundering activities by the Bello family,” the letter reads.

“Since the 7th September 2021 to date, $845,852.84 (Eight Hundred and Forty Five Thousand, Eight Hundred and Fifty Two US Dollars and eighty four cents) in tuition and other fees has been deposited into our Bank account.

“We have calculated the net amount to be transferred and refunded to the State, after deducting the educational services rendered as $760,910.84. (Seven Hundred and Sixty Thousand, Nine Hundred and Ten US Dollars and Eighty Four cents).

“No further additional fees are expected in respect of tuition as the students’ fees have now been settled until they graduate from ASIA.”

The school said it will draw the attention of the anti-graft agency if there are any further deposits by the Bello family.

In a statement signed by Greg Hughes, AISA also said “Ali Bello contacted the school on Friday 13 August 2021 requesting to pay the family school fees in advance until the students graduate from High School”.

The EFCC has since declared Bello wanted, with the NIS placing the ex-governor on a watchlist.

Folashade Anu, the beauty expert, has lamented that she was paid N45,000 monthly while working for seven years as a makeup artist for Betty Akeredolu, the former first lady of Ondo.

Anu, in a recent interview with Olujimi Adekanle, the news presenter in Ondo, also said she sometimes worked as a personal assistant to the wife of the late Rotimi Akeredolu, former Ondo governor.

The makeup artiste claimed she was paid N50,000 per month but 10 percent of her salary was automatically deducted as a contribution to the Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria (BRECAN), an organisation founded by Betty.

“I worked for Her Excellency (Mrs Betty Akeredolu) for over seven years. When I was going, she did not give me anything,” said Anu as she broke down in tears.

“I worked with her for seven years as her makeup artist. I used to make her hair and do her pedicure when she was still making her hair.

“I was paid N50,000 then, but I usually gave back N5,000 to BRECAN. They would have deducted the N5,000 before the salary was paid. They called it ‘give back to BRECAN’.

“Another N100 was also usually deducted as charges.”

This is Folashade Adu the makeup artist for the former First Lady of Ondo State for 7 years who was placed on N45k salary a month, she was discarded after the demise of the former Governor without nothing, listen to her story.

By Olujimi Adekanle JAF. pic.twitter.com/9bZs3ib0r1

— Olóyè T.D Esq (@BolanleCole) April 24, 2024

The makeup artist said she stopped working for Betty after her husband was buried.

Anu claimed that after Akeredolu’s burial, she solicited help from the former first lady but Betty refused, adding “I was no longer in office”.

“I texted Betty Akeredolu that I needed help and that she was my last hope, that she should render help to me, but she said there was no help she could render because she was now out of the office,” she added.

“I usually reach out to her to help me. She once told me that since I have a passport, she would take me out of the country, but till now, nothing.”