Gotel Radio and TV, one of the businesses of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the 2019 elections, Atiku Abubakar, has spoken on a news report that the former Vice President has approved a minimum wage of N33,000 for the 100,000 staff in his employ.
The position of the company was made known by its Managing Director, Mohammed el-Yakub.
El-Yakub said the minimum wage has been approved for only staff of the television station and that those employed by Abubakar were just 50,000 instead of the 100,000 reported.
The statement by the MD reads: “Our attention has been drawn to reports in a section of the media alluding that the Presidential candidate of the PDP and former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar has approved N33,000 as minimum wage to all 100,000 staff under his conglomerate.
“We wish to set the records straight and state as follows:
“That we can confirm that indeed Gotel, one of Atiku Abubakar’s ventures, has approved N33,000 as minimum wage for staff of the company effective November 2018.
“That at no time did any representative of the company speak to any journalist on the issue. That overtly excited staff of the company may have shared this info with their colleagues in the other media organisations in the state, who in turn may have gone to press with it without confirming from us.
“That we can only confirm that this policy of N33,000 minimum wage is only applicable to staff of Gotel Communications Limited for now.
“That the details of the report alluding that the minimum wage of N33,000 is to cover 100,000 staff under the Atiku conglomerate is mere fabrication intended for mischief.
“That Gotel Communications Ltd along with other companies under the Atiku business mix boasts of about 50,000 hardworking and contented workers.
“That the management of Gotel Communications Limited, owners of Gotel Radio and TV are appreciative of the gesture of our founder in raising the minimum wage of the staff to a living wage.”