Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has approved the payment of the new N80,000 minimum wage to 45,000 verified public servants, starting this month, with retroactive implementation from November 2024.
The announcement follows the submission of the report by the Committee on the Implementation of the New Minimum Wage and Personnel Verification, chaired by the Head of Service, Elder Effiong Essien.
The governor also directed the committee to extend its verification exercise to pensioners to address potential discrepancies in pension payments.
Speaking at the Government House in Uyo, Governor Eno expressed gratitude to the committee for its work, noting that the exercise verified 52,177 personnel out of a total staff strength of 55,120, leaving 2,943 unaccounted for, while 6,193 workers had issues with their verification.
“For the 45,984 workers cleared, the minimum wage will be paid by the end of this month, backdated to November 1, 2024,” the governor stated.
The governor emphasized that the remaining unverified workers have an additional 30 days to complete the process. Failure to comply within the specified period will result in salary stoppage.
Governor Eno reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare, stating, “The civil service is a critical workforce for our government, and their welfare has been a priority. This adjustment aims to cushion the effects of the current economic challenges.”
The Governor highlighted efforts to maintain good relations with organized labour, including paying over N47 billion in gratuities out of a N97 billion backlog inherited since 2012. He also announced plans to extend the verification process to pension payments, citing concerns about irregularities.
“If such issues exist among serving personnel, there may also be cases of payments to deceased individuals. We will act swiftly to clean up the pension system,” he added.
