In a significant move to enhance the welfare of civil servants and retirees, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has approved a ₦70,000 minimum wage for state workers.
The announcement follows the submission of a report by an implementation committee comprising representatives from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Joint Union Negotiating Council, and the state government.
The governor disclosed that the decision was the outcome of a two-day deliberation aimed at addressing workers’ demands. He revealed that civil servants on consolidated salaries, already earning ₦70,000 as their minimum wage, will receive an additional 10% salary increment.
Further demonstrating his administration’s commitment to improving workers’ welfare, Governor Uzodinma announced plans to resume gratuity payments for retirees, a practice that has been stalled since 2006. He stated that, effective Tuesday, November 26, 2024, gratuities will be paid to 2,962 retirees at the local government level and 2,742 at the state level. Outstanding gratuities for an additional 1,567 local government retirees and 2,685 state retirees are scheduled to be settled in one or two subsequent batches.
Speaking on the development, Governor Uzodinma emphasized his administration’s dedication to ensuring that workers and retirees who have devoted their lives to serving the state are adequately compensated. “We are committed to making Imo workers happy and rewarding pensioners who invested their youthful energy in serving this state,” he affirmed.
Expressing gratitude on behalf of the workforce, the NLC Chairman, Imo State Council, Comrade Uche Chigemezu Nwaigwe, lauded the governor for his benevolence. Similarly, the TUC Chairman, Comrade Uchenna Ibe Great, pledged that workers would respond by demonstrating greater dedication and productivity in their duties.
The approval of the new minimum wage and the resumption of gratuity payments mark a significant step in addressing long-standing concerns of civil servants and retirees in Imo State.
