New minimum wage will be paid this month, but salaries will be delayed – Abia Commissioner
From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia
Abia State Government says late resolution of the issue of consequential adjustment between government and the Organised Labour would slightly delay the payment of October salary to civil servants in the state.
Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, made this known while briefing newsmen on the outcome of this week’s Exco meeting, disclosed that the resolution followed a series of intensive meetings between the two parties over the weekend.
“The state government and organized Labour have reached an amicable settlement with regards to issue of payment of the new minimum wage. This follows a series of meetings over the course of the weekend between Organized Labour and officers of the state government,” the Commissioner said.
But he noted that though the October salary would be paid, it will come slightly late as the 28th day of every month set aside for salary payment could not be met.
“The payment of the new minimum wage will still happen in this month of October. It might be a bit difficult to commence today (Monday, October 28, 2024). Usually, you know that 28th of every month has been set aside as the day for payment of salaries across board but because these negotiations ended in the early hours of today, so that target of 28th may not be met. But be rest assured that these payments would be made before the end of the month as promised by the state Governor,” Prince Kanu assured.
Speaking further on the new minimum wage, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma said that the issue of consequential adjustment was top on the agenda of meetings between Government and the Labour Unions “in the last 24 hours,” adding that details would soon be made public.
Recall that payment of the new minimum wage became a thorny issue between government and Labour in Abia when government announced that it would commence payment of the new salary by the end of October, when the joint Committee on the new minimum wage comprising government officials and Labour leaders were yet to conclude their assignment.
Labour therefore queried how the government would proceed to pay the new minimum wage without the consequential adjustment table. The Organised Labour therefore threatened to embark on indefinite strike from November 1, if government goes ahead with its plan to pay the minimum wage by October ending without a new salary scale table.
Labour also added that if the consequential adjustment was not done, any money government pays to workers in excess of their previous salaries would be regarded as ex-gratia.
Labour’s move prompted Governor Alex Otti to convene emergency meetings between government and labour, leading to the amicable resolution of the issues involved, according to the Commissioner for Information.
On the forthcoming Council polls, the Commissioner assured that the local government election would hold as scheduled on the 2nd of November, 2024, across the 17 local government areas of the state.
He added that government has declared Friday, November 1, 2024, a half-workday, to enable workers travel to their hometowns and communities to perform their civic duty of casting their ballots.
“There will also be restriction of movement during the elections but details of such restrictions will be announced in due course,” the Commissioner announced.
Prince Kanu disclosed that Governor Otti would officially reopen for use, the Old Nnamdi Azikiwe Secretariat, “within the next two weeks” following the completion of rehabilitation and retrofitting of the building.