Cross River state government has said it would increase minimum wage of its civil servants from N30,000 to N40,000 beginning from May 2024.
Governor Bassey Otu, who said this during the May Day celebration in Calabar, Wednesday, also disclosed that he had directed relevant government agencies to liaise with the office of the State Accountant-General to implement all genuine promotions for the State and Local Government workers with effect from May 2024.
The governor was responding to earlier speeches by the Chairmen of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Gregory Olayi and his counterpart in the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Monday Ogbodum on minimum wage, workers’ promotion, employment, gratuity and other issues.
Otu said his administration was on the verge of concluding necessary arrangements for the staggered payment of outstanding gratuity to its retired workers.
Speaking, the governor said, “Owing to the peculiarity of our State in regard to its lean finances occasioned by low Statutory Federal Allocation and aggravated by the unfavorable State GDP to Debt servicing ratio, the new wage implementation shall be in line with the realities of the time rather than sentiments.
“On this note, I wish to announce that the least paid worker in the Cross River State Civil Service will henceforth earn the sum of N40,000.00 (Forty Thousand Naira) only; as a living wage. Modalities for immediate implementation are being worked out.”
On employment, the governor said: “We are conscious of the need to employ our teeming qualified youths into the service to bridge the manpower gap created by the retirement of some workers from the State Civil Service.
“I have therefore directed the office of the Head of Service to collaborate with the Ministry of Establishment, Training and Pensions to expedite action in determining the actual manpower gap to enable the State government commence the employment of candidates from Grade Levels 03 – 09 into the Civil Service.”
Otu added further that he has also “directed that the annual incremental step the State and Local Government Workers have not enjoyed for more than a decade should be implemented with immediate effect.”
According to Governor Otu, other demands by the Organised Labour woukd be tacked through “continuous robust dialogue between the government and the Unions,” adding “the outstanding issues will be resolved amicably soon.”