Abia, Bayelsa, Delta set up wage review committees
• Obaseki, Otu, Nwifuru raise minimum wage
TFrom Michael Egbejule ( Benin City), Solomon Azu ( Calabar), Nnamdi Akpa ( Abakaliki),
( Port Harcourt),
( Yenagoa) and ( Umuahia) HE trio of Abia, Bayelsa, and Delta States have pledged to set up committees for the upward review of workers’ salary in lieu of the current economic realities.
The governors, at various events to mark the 2024 Workers’ Day celebration yesterday, told workers to expect the implementation of salary increase soon.
This is coming as other states, in lockstep with Edo, also raised their minimum wage thresholds.
The Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, yesterday at the Cenotaph, Asaba, commended workers for their support of his administration, and for the prevailing industrial harmony across the state.
He said that his administration had always prioritised the welfare of workers in the state and promised to look into the issue of workers, who were inadvertently omitted in the payment of promotion arrears. Oborevwori said: “I have listened attentively to your requests, and I have taken note of them; they are, no doubt, legitimate demands, and as a responsible government, I will deliberate with my team on how best to address them within the limits of resources available to us.”
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IMILARLY, the Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, said he had set up a committee to work out modalities for the implementation of a new minimum wage for workers in the state civil service.
The committee is headed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Nimibofa Ayawei, while the Head of Service, Biobelemoye CharlesOnyeama, the Commissioner for Finance, Maxwell Ebibai, his Labour, Productivity and Employment counterpart, Ebiuwou Koku- Obiyai, and the Chief of Staff, Government House, Dr. Peter Akpe, are members.
The committee has till the end of May 2024 to submit its report. Diri made the pronouncement, yesterday, at the 2024 Workers Day celebration at the Peace Park in Yenagoa.
ABIA State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, also told them that the state government under his leadership would lead in the implementation of the new minimum wage that the Federal Government and the organised labour will agree and ratify, including the consequential arrears.
He described his government as pro- labour, with workers’ welfare as its top priority.
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EANWHILE, Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, yesterday, hailed the outstanding contribution of workers in the state to the growth of the state’s Gross Domestic Products ( GDP) in the past seven and half years of his administration, noting that their commitment, and dedication in transforming the state deserves praise.
The governor said this in commemoration of Workers’ Days, a celebration of the working class promoted by the International Labour Movement, marked every May 1.
In a statement, the governor said: “It has been an enriching journey working, and I am glad that we are signing off on an exciting note as, only two days ago, I announced that we have raised the Edo State minimum wage from N40,000 to N70,000, an increase of over 75 per cent, which reflects how much we have come to value the work you do, which speaks to our unwavering commitment to rewarding hard work as a government.” In Cross River State, Governor Bassey Otu announced salary increments for the state and local council workers.
The governor, who made the announcement in Calabar, said that the least paid worker in the State Civil Service will, henceforth, earn the sum of N40,000 as a living wage, adding that modalities for immediate implementation are being worked out. On his own part, Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State, yesterday, announced a N10,000 salary increment for all workers pending the determination of the national minimum wage, promising that Ebonyi State will not be the least to pay.
Nwifuru stated this in Abakaliki during the celebration of the Workers’ Day, noting that the award of N10,000 is an addition to the existing N10,000, making it N20,000.
Nwifuru also approved the recruitment of 1,000 teachers, saying that his administration would always make the workers happy.