Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has approved financial bonuses to state civil servants, including those at the local government levels, to ease the economic burden in the state.

This was disclosed in a statement by Babatunde Toyin Abdulrasheed, the press secretary to the state’s ministry of finance, on Monday.

Mr Abdulrasheed noted that the emergency support will be active for at least three months and is expected to serve as relief for workers amid the current hardship in the country.

“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”, the statement quoted the state commissioner of finance, Hauwa Nuru.

“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.

“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,” it said.

The statement further said the emergency bonus is limited to workers registered with the Kwara State Residents’ Registration Agency (KWSRRA), urging workers without registration to do the needful.

Meanwhile, Mr Abdulrazaq recently approved the new minimum wage of N70,000, as announced by the federal government.

The decision followed a successful tripartite meeting between government representatives, the leadership of organised labour and representatives from the private sector.