Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno has assured that state workers would be paid double salary in December.
Governor Eno also explained that the 13th month salary tagged: ‘Eno-Mber’ has become necessary for more joyful Yuletide to civil servants in view of the delay in the implementation of the new N80,000 minimum wage.
LEADERSHIP learnt that the harmonisation committee chaired by the Head of the Civil Service (HoCS), Elder Effiong Essien, may not meet up with the one month ultimatum given by the State government for the submission of the report, and has set the first quarter of 2025 to conclude the task.
Therefore, to douse the workers’ impatience, the Governor announced the double payment on Sunday during a Church service at the Eternity Mission International Church, Uyo as a cushion before the implementation of the new N80,000 minimum.
“I am aware that quite a number of our civil servants have relocated within Nigeria while others have gone abroad. We have to be sure that those receiving payments are real civil servants. My watchword since assuming office has been transparency and honesty in service deliverables and we have to ensure that we carry this through this verification exercise, which would soon be completed,” he noted.
The governor also warned those constantly working to disrup the smooth relationship between the state government and the organised labour to have a rethink.
“Since we came in, we have paid critical attention to the needs and the welfare of civil servants in this state. To date, we have paid N35 billion in gratuities to retired state, local government workers and primary school teachers in the state,” he recalled.
Other interventions which the Governor said should encourage the workers to imbibe good work ethics included the institution and payment of a bonus regime of N1.1billion naira to all public servants, prompt payment of salary, pension and gratuities.
The Governor had also released funds, and ensured prompt payment of wage award to the State workers for three months to cushion the effect of high cost of living occasioned by federal government’s fuel subsidy removal as well as free 150 homes at the Grace Estate for civil servants of grade levels one to eight.
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