In a statement released by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Ekerete Udoh, Eno highlighted the importance of the civil service in the state’s governance and reiterated his administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare despite the prevailing economic challenges.
Uyo, Nigeria – Akwa Ibom State Governor, Dr. Umo Eno, has approved the payment of an N80,000 minimum wage for 45,984 verified state workers. The payment, which will take effect from November 1, 2024, is expected to commence by the end of January 2025.
This decision follows the submission of a report by the Committee on the Implementation of the New Minimum Wage/Personnel Verification, chaired by the Head of Service, Elder Effiong Essien. The committee was tasked with verifying the state’s workforce and implementing the new wage structure.
In a statement released by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Ekerete Udoh, Eno highlighted the importance of the civil service in the state’s governance and reiterated his administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare despite the prevailing economic challenges.
Verification Outcome and Implementation Timeline
The report revealed that out of an initial staff strength of 55,120, a total of 52,177 employees participated in the verification exercise, with 6,193 personnel flagged for verification issues and 2,943 workers failing to participate. Of the verified staff, 45,984 have been cleared to receive the new minimum wage.
Eno stated that the payment process will be forwarded to the Accountant General, Auditor General, and Director of Budget for implementation. “For those who have been cleared, we should be ready to pay the minimum wage at the end of this month, effective from November 1, 2024,” he confirmed.
30-Day Grace Period for Pending Verification
The governor announced a 30-day extension for unverified workers to complete the process, after which salaries for those who fail to comply will be discontinued. “If they don’t show up within the specified time, we will take it that they are not civil servants, and their salaries will be stopped,” he warned.
Retirement and Pension Verification to Follow
He commended the committee’s work and accepted its recommendation to make the verification exercise an annual practice. He also directed the extension of the exercise to retired workers and pensioners to ensure accountability in pension payments.
“If what we uncovered can happen with serving personnel, then you can imagine what may be happening with pensioners. We will quickly carry out the verification exercise in that area too,” the governor stated.
Commitment to Workers’ Welfare
The governor reassured civil servants of his administration’s commitment to addressing their concerns. He noted that since taking office, the government has paid over ₦47 billion in gratuities from a backlog of ₦97 billion inherited from 2012. He also called for continued collaboration with organized labor to foster harmonious government-labor relations.
“We have done a lot to strengthen good government-labor relations. By God’s grace, we will slowly find our way out of the current economic challenges,” he said.
The governor emphasized his administration’s resolve to prioritize workers’ welfare as a cornerstone of its governance agenda.
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