Gov Eno announces new minimum wage for Akwa Ibom workers

The governor has set up a committee to implement the new wage.

Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, on Wednesday, announced a new minimum wage of N80,000 for state government workers.

The Commissioner for Information in the state, Ini Ememobong, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday in Uyo.

Mr Ememobong said the governor has constituted a committee, headed by the Head of the Civil Service in the state, to implement the new minimum wage, which is N10,000 higher than the national minimum wage of N70,000.

Other members of the committee are the chairperson, State Civil Service Commission; chairperson, Local Government Service Commission; permanent secretary, Ministry of Finance; permanent secretary, Department of Establishments; permanent secretary, Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning; permanent secretary/solicitor general, Ministry of Justice; permanent secretary/accountant general; permanent secretary, Local Government Service Commission; permanent secretary, Office of the Head of Civil Service; and the director of Budget.

Others are the state chairperson, Joint Public Service Negotiating Council; secretary, Joint Public Sector Negotiating Council; Chairperson, Nigeria Labour Congress, Akwa Ibom State; Chairperson, Trade Union Congress, Akwa Ibom State; and the state president, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees.

“This announcement is reflective of the state government’s commitment to improving the welfare of its workforce,” Mr Ememobong said.

The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on 16 October, announced a new minimum wage of N85,000 for the state’s civil servants, and said he hopes to increase it to N100,000 by January 2025.

Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State followed suit with the announcement on 18 October that the state government would pay N85,000 as minimum wage.