Imo State Government has approved a new minimum wage of N104,000 for civil servants.
Gatekeepers News reports that Governor Hope Uzodimma made the announcement on Tuesday night during a meeting with labour union leaders at the Government House in Owerri.
He explained that the wage had been increased from N76,000 to N104,000. In addition, the minimum wage for doctors was raised from N215,000 to N503,000, while tertiary institution lecturers will now earn N222,000, up from N119,000.
Uzodimma highlighted the difficulties his administration has faced since assuming office including insecurity, the COVID-19 pandemic, economic reforms, and disputes over wages and subsidy removal.
He said, “There is no way any government will do well if it doesn’t have a friendly and cordial relationship with the organised labour.”
“When workers are paid well, productivity rises, families are happier, and the local economy grows. This is our way of investing in Imo people. Government believes in stimulating political and economic activities, carrying bureaucrats along, and making sure that workers’ welfare is highly respected.”
The Governor noted that Imo’s internally generated revenue (IGR) had grown from N400 million to over N3 billion monthly, while the state’s debt profile had dropped from over N280 billion in 2020 to less than N100 billion.
On fuel subsidy removal, Uzodimma remarked, “ It is a thing of joy that we have started seeing the dividends of that bold decision of President Bola Tinubu to remove fuel subsidy. What government is confronted with now is how to ensure that the dividends of that policy trickle down to the common man on the street.”
He further said, “Cognisant of the fact that our effort has started yielding dividends and that our IGR had improved and that reform policies of the President has also increased our allocations to sub-national governments, every responsible government must be transparent about it.”
Uzodimma also revealed that the state would commence payment of the final batch of gratuities, amounting to N16 billion, owed to pensioners on August 27.
Responding, Uchechigemezu Nwigwe, chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Imo, described the development as a victory for the entire workforce in the state.
He said, “Today, no worker in Imo will say you (Uzodimma) have not been fair to us,” while assuring that workers would reciprocate the gesture with “more diligent, efficient, and effective service.”
