Abia to correct new minimum wage payment errors, promises workers 13th month salary
From Boniface Okoro,Umuahia
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has promised that the state government would correct errors observed in the implementation of the consequential adjustments made pursuant to the implementation of the new Minimum Wage.
Governor Otti made the promise during a meeting with all state Chairmen and Secretaries of the affiliate unions under the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) at the state Secretariat, Ogurube Layout, Umuahia on December 3, 2024.
Recall that Abia State government reached an agreement with the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) that government would pay the N70, 000 new Minimum Wage.
In keeping with the agreement, the state started paying the new wage in October this year. No sooner had the civil servants received their October salaries than complaints began to fill every space in the state regarding observed errors in implementing the consequential adjustments..
They complained that the implementation of the consequential adjustments only favoured workers from Grade Levels 1-7, as what was paid those from Grade Levels 8 – 16 did not reflect what was agreed on.
Many believed that the complaints by the Abia workers may have been the reason why the National Secretariat of NLC listed Abia among defaulting states in the implementation of the new minimum wage, which also may have prompted the meeting called at the instance of Governor with the leadership of the Organized Labour.
At the meeting Governor Otti told the workers that the issue would be revisited and all errors corrected, adding that he has instructed that the salary structure be reworked because he has received reports of errors noticed in the payment of the minimum wage.
Governor Otti assured that his government would be engaging with the leadership of Organized Labour in few days time to correct any error.
“I have instructed my people to go and look at it again. In the next few days, we will be engaging with the leadership of Labour so that we will make necessary adjustments. So, my team will go back and look into it,” he said.
The Governor argued that the listing of Abia as one of the States yet to commence implementation of the new National Minimum Wage was uncalled for, saying that Abia was one of the first states to implement the policy – right from October 2024.
He announced that he would pay both the December salary and 13th month salary of the workers before 20th of December 2024, perhaps, to demonstrate to the Organized Labour that the present government “is their own government.”
The State Chief Executive, while describing Abia work force as a major vehicle that brought him to power, equally thanked the workers for remaining major stakeholders in the rebuilding agenda of the state government.
He said that the essence of the meeting was to have an interaction with them and to thank them for their support to his administration which has changed the image of the state for the better.
Responding, the Chairman of Abia State chapter of the NLC, Comrade Ogbonnaya Okoro, while thanking the Governor for his benevolence to the Abia workforce and his decision to correct the errors observed in the payment of the new wage, said that they would present other issues of concern to the Governor.
Okoro assured the Governor of sustained support by the workers to ensure he succeeds in office.
The meeting which attracted many government officials had Chairmen and secretaries of affiliate Unions of NLC, TUC and Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) featured reactions from them. They expressed satisfaction and confidence in the Governor and Government and assured of their continuous support and partnership.
