Jubilation as Governors announce increase in workers’ salaries

There is massive jubilation in some states as governors announced an increase to the salaries of their workers.

Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru, announced an additional N10,000 to the salaries of state workers on Wednesday, May 1, 2024.

He made this known during the 2024 Workers Day celebration held at Pa Oruta Ngele Stadium in Abakaliki.

Governor Nwifuru’s adjustment comes months after he added N10,000 to the salaries of state workers barely a month into office.

Speaking to mark the 2024 Workers Day celebration, Nwifuru noted that civil servants have remained partners in progress. His administration will continue to sustain and deepen the existing friendly working environment and industrial harmony aimed at increasing productivity of the workforce in particular and improving good governance.

Also, Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State announced a new minimum wage of N40,000 for state workers.

According to him, the new wage would help cushion the hardship in the country. He said this while participating in the Workers’ Day celebration at the U.J Esuene Stadium in Calabar on Wednesday, May 1.

Otu stated that workers’ wages and pensions would be prioritized under his administration, adding that his government was very appreciative of workers even though their industrial output was only 5 percent.

He said, “Owing to the peculiarity of Cross River State regarding its lean finances occasioned by low Statutory Federal Allocation and aggravated by the unfavorable State GDP to Debt servicing ratio, the new wage implementation is in line with the realities of the time rather than sentiments.”

Some Nigerians took to social media to react to the Governors gesture.

@michaelEnwankwo tweeted: "Hmmmm. Not bad for a State like Ebonyi."

@NelsonClin22787 tweeted: "Kudos to Ebonyi state government."

@jidifeanyi tweeted: "Imagine the insults. I don't blame the governors but NLC."

@hommie4real tweeted: "Are you kidding me? When a bag of rice is 80k."

@GolovyJBrown tweeted: "This one is still in 2007."

@AloedaAlexander tweeted: "Poverty based wage unfortunately."