Deborah Akinyosoye
Gov. Hope Uzodimma of Imo has approved a new minimum wage of N104,000 for state civil servants.
Uzodimma made this known during a meeting with various labour union leaders on Tuesday night at the Government House in Owerri.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the minimum wage was increased from N76,000 to N104,000.
Also increased were the minimum wages of doctors from N215,000 to N503,000, while those of teachers in tertiary institutions were increased from N119,000 to N222,000, among others.
He said Imo citizens had faced numerous challenges since his government took office, including insecurity, the COVID-19 pandemic, economic hardship resulting from reform policies, and disputes over minimum wage and the removal of subsidies.
Uzodimma said: “We tried as a government to always put it behind our mind that 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 was highly respected,” he said.
Uzodimma stated that the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) had increased from N400 million to over N3 billion per month.
According to him, in 2020, we were receiving allocations between N5 billion and N7 billion, but they have increased to N14 billion.
“In 2020, the state recorded a debt profile of over N280 billion but has reduced to less than N100 billion,” he added.
The governor recalled that when he assumed office in 2020, the major infrastructure in all sectors was in total disrepair.
He said a lot had been expended to rebuild the collapsed infrastructure, especially roads, and to combat the insecurity challenges.
He stressed that the removal of fuel subsidy had equally raised the cost of living in Nigeria, as much as it had its own advantages.
“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.
“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,” he said.
The governor further stated that the state government will begin payment of the last batch of gratuity, amounting to N16 billion, owed to pensioners in the state on August 27.
He stated that his administration had implemented major reforms in the health sector, including the introduction of a health insurance scheme and the equipping of health facilities to ensure world-class treatment for Imo citizens.
He said his government had keyed into the Federal Government project of establishing 1,000 businesses in every active INEC ward.
He charged labour unions to unite to foster good working relations between labour and government,
Uzodimma, who solicited value addition from workers, also cautioned them against unethical practices and redundancy at work.
Responding, the state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Uchechigemezu Nwigwe, described the increase in minimum wage in the state as “a victory for the entire work force in the state.”
Nwigwe said Uzodimma not only rescued the workers from economic challenges but also made the state one of the highest in the payment of the minimum wage.
“Today, no worker in Imo will say you (Uzodimma) have not been fair to us,” he noted.
Nwigwe prayed to God to continue protecting the governor, assuring him that workers would reciprocate the gesture with more diligent, efficient, and effective service.
Also speaking, the state Chairman of the Trade Union Congress, Mr. Uchenna Ibe, lauded the governor for his “strong political will in taking up strong projects, including the increase in minimum wage.”