Imo State governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma has approved the new minimum wage of N104,000 for civil servants, making the state one of the highest-paying in the country.
The announcement was made on Tuesday night during a meeting with labour union leaders at the Government House in Owerri.
According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Uzodimma said the wage increase was part of his administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare and economic growth.
The governor disclosed that the minimum wage had been raised from N76,000 to N104,000, while doctors’ salaries rose from N215,000 to N503,000.
Similarly, the pay for tertiary institution teachers increased from N119,000 to N222,000.
“There is no way any government will do well if it doesn’t have a friendly and cordial relationship with the organised labour,” Uzodimma said.
“When workers are paid well, productivity rises, families are happier, and the local economy grows. This is our way of investing in Imo people. The government believes in stimulating political and economic activities, carrying bureaucrats along, and making sure that workers’ welfare is highly respected.”
Uzodimma highlighted the state’s improved financial standing as the basis for the pay rise, noting that internally generated revenue (IGR) had grown from N400 million to over N3 billion monthly, while the debt profile dropped from over N280 billion in 2020 to less than N100 billion.
He also praised President Bola Tinubu’s removal of fuel subsidy, arguing that despite its impact on the cost of living, the policy had increased allocations to states and created room for reforms.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
The governor further announced that the state government would begin paying the last batch of gratuities owed to pensioners, totalling N16 billion on August 27.
In his response, the chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Imo State, Uchechigemezu Nwigwe described the new wage as a “victory for the entire workforce in the state.”
“Today, no worker in Imo will say you (Uzodimma) have not been fair to us,” Nwigwe said.
“The governor has not only rescued workers from economic challenges with the pay hike but has also made the state one of the highest in terms of minimum wage.”
He assured the governor that workers would reciprocate the gesture with more diligent, efficient, and effective service.
