Owerri: Gov. Hope Uzodimma of Imo has approved a new minimum wage of N104,000 for civil servants in the state. Uzodimma made this known during a meeting with various labour union leaders on Tuesday night at the Government House in Owerri.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the governor increased the minimum wage from N76,000 to N104,000. Similarly, the minimum wage of doctors was raised from N215,000 to N503,000, while that of tertiary institution teachers increased from N119,000 to N222,000, among others. Uzodimma highlighted the challenges faced by Imo citizens since his government took office, including issues like insecurity, the COVID-19 pandemic, economic hardship from reform policies, and disputes over minimum wage and subsidy removal.
The governor emphasized the importance of maintaining a cordial relationship with organized labour, stating, “When workers are paid well, productivity rises, families are happier, and the local economy grows.” He described the wage increase as an investment in Imo people, aimed at stimulating political and economic activities, and ensuring workers’ welfare is respected.
Uzodimma shared that the state Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) had grown from N400 million to over N3 billion monthly. He noted that allocations received by the state had increased from between N5 billion to N7 billion in 2020 to N14 billion. The state’s debt profile, initially over N280 billion in 2020, has been reduced to less than N100 billion.
The governor recalled the collapsed infrastructure he encountered upon assuming office in 2020 and the efforts made to rebuild it, particularly roads and security. He discussed the impact of the removal of fuel subsidy on the cost of living, acknowledging both the challenges and benefits of the policy.
Uzodimma announced that the state government would begin paying the last batch of gratuity, amounting to N16 billion, owed to pensioners on August 27. He detailed major reforms in the health sector, including a health insurance scheme and equipping health facilities to provide world-class treatment. The state government has also aligned with the Federal Government’s project of establishing 1,000 businesses in every active INEC ward.
He urged labour unions to foster good working relations between labour and government and called for value addition from workers, cautioning against unethical practices and redundancy at work.
In response, the state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Uchechigemezu Nwigwe, described the wage increase as a “victory for the entire workforce in the state.” Nwigwe praised Uzodimma for making Imo one of the highest-paying states in terms of minimum wage and assured the governor that workers would reciprocate with more diligent, efficient, and effective service.