The Governor of the IMO state, Hope Uzodinma, has approved a new minimum wage of N104,000 for public officials in the State, increasing the payment of workers in one of the boldest salary adjustments in Nigeria.
The announcement was held on Tuesday night during a meeting with leaders of several labor unions at the Government’s house in Owerri. The approval marks a significant increase in the minimum salary N76,000 above.
According to the governor, doctors in the state will also see their minimum wage increase from N215,000 to N503,000, while professors of tertiary institutions will now win N222,000, compared to N119,000.
He pointed out that other categories of workers will also benefit from similar adjustments.
By explaining the decision, Uzodinma said that his administration had to respond to the economic realities faced by citizens since he assumed the position in 2020, from the insecurity and the Covid-19 pandemic to the difficulties caused by the elimination of subsidies and salary disputes.
“There is no way for a government to do well if it does not have a friendly and cordial relationship with organized work.
“When workers are paid well, productivity increases, families are happier and the local economy grows.
“This is our way of investing in OMI people. The government believes in stimulating political and economic activities, transporting bureaucrats and making sure the welfare of workers was highly respected,” he said.
Uzodinma said that the income generated internally from the State (IGR) had grown from N400 million to more than N3 billion per month.
According to him, in 2020, we were receiving assignments between N5 billion to N7 billion, but has increased to N14 billion.
“In 2020, the State registered a debt profile of more than N280 billion, but has been reduced to less than N100 billion,” he added.
He declined that internally generated income from IMO (IGR) had grown from N400 million to more than N3 billion per month, while federal assignments to the State had also increased to approximately N14 billion, compared to N5-7 billion in 2020.
On debt management, Uzodinma revealed that the state’s debt profile had decreased from N280 billion in 2020 to less than N100 billion, which emphasized that this financial change made the salary increase possible.
The governor also declared that his administration had invested a lot in the reconstruction of the collapsed infrastructure, particularly the roads, and had strengthened security operations throughout the state. He also noted that the reforms in the health sector, including a health insurance scheme and improved facilities, were part of their commitment to improve the well -being of citizens.
He added that the state government would begin the payment of the final lot of the N16 billion tip that is due to pensioners on August 27, describing it as another step to clean the accumulation of workers’ rights.
Uzodinma accredited the elimination of the fuel subsidy of President Bola Tinubu as a policy that increased assignments to subnational governments, insisting that the responsibility now falls to the governors to ensure that the benefits reach common citizens.
The work leaders organized in IMO praised the governor for their decision.
The state president of the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC), Uchechigemezu Nwigwe, described the salary increase as “a victory for the entire workforce in the state.”
“Today, no IMO worker can say that the governor has not been fair with us. He has not only rescued us from economic difficulties, but also placed the IMO among the states that pay the highest minimum wage,” Nwigwe said.
Responding, the state president of the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC), Uchechigemezu Nwigwe, described the increase in the minimum wage in the State as “victory for the entire workforce in the state.”
Nwigwe said that Uzodinma not only rescued workers from economic challenges, but had made the state one of the highest in the payment of the minimum wage.
“Today, no IMO worker will say that you (Uzodimma) have not been fair with us,” he said.
Nwigwe prayed to God to continue protecting the governor, assuring him that workers correspond to the gesture with a more diligent, efficient and effective service.
Also speaking, the state president of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Uchenna Ibe, also praised the governor for his “strong political will in assuming strong projects, including the increase in the minimum wage.”
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