By Ogenyi Ogenyi, Uyo
The Akwa Ibom State Government has announced a new N80,000 minimum wage for public sector workers, aligning with the recent agreement between Organized Labour and the Federal Government.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the state Commissioner for Information, Comrade Ini Ememobong, revealed that the government has also set up an Implementation Committee to facilitate the new wage regime. The committee, chaired by the Head of the Civil Service, Mr. Effiong Essien, has been given one month to submit its report on how the wage increase will be implemented.
Other members of the committee include the Chairman of the State Civil Service Commission, the Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Establishments, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning, and the Solicitor General of the Ministry of Justice.
Additional members are the state Accountant General, the Permanent Secretary of the Local Government Service Commission, the Permanent Secretary of the Office of the Head of Civil Service, the Director of Budget, the State Chairman of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, the Secretary of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, the State Chairpersons of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, and the State President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE).
The statement emphasized that this move reflects the state government’s commitment to improving the welfare of its workforce. It is expected to ease tensions and alleviate concerns among state workers, who had been anxious about the government’s silence on the new minimum wage, despite a promise made by Governor Umo Eno during the last Workers’ Day celebration.
Several states have already announced new minimum wages for their workers, and Akwa Ibom’s announcement is seen as a significant step in ensuring fairness for its employees.
