GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has assured workers in the state that his administration will commence the payment of the new minimum wage of N18,000 from June, 2011.

The Governor disclosed at the rally to mark this year’s worker’s day celebration, at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, yesterday, that he had already directed the state’s Head of Service and leaders of the various workers unions to work out the modalities for the payment.

Oshiomhole, who addressed the workers said his administration had also commenced the recruitment of fresh 3,000  youths across the 18 local government areas in the state. He added that the state Primary and Post Primary Education Boards had been directed to employ 2,000 new teachers for both primary and secondary schools in the state “so that our children will have teachers for every subject they study in school.”

On the just concluded elections, Oshiomhole commended Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Atahiru Jega, on the exercise. He also  commended President Goodluck Jonathan for not interfering with the work of the Commission.

“Today, the fact that the thugs in Ibadan were defeated and leadership has changed in Ibadan even in Ogun State, the thumb defeated the bullet, showed that Jonathan provided the enabling environment. The security agencies did not have a presidential order to rig for the PDP.

I believe that all of us, who criticised Obasanjo for introducing ‘do or die’ politics, which led to the massive and shameless rigging of the 2007 elections, today we must also find the courage and congratulate President Jonathan for being a Commander-in-Chief, who did not command the Army to rig out the opposition parties. History will be kind on him when we begin to appreciate the progress we have made on this election.”