I Will Pay New National Minimum Wage When Implemented – Umahi

Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state Tuesday promised better pay rise for civil servants of the state while assuring that the state government will pay the proposed new national minimum wage when fully implemented by the federal government. Umahi while addressing a mammoth crowd of Ebonyi workers across the state at the Pa Ngele Oruta Township Stadium, Abakaliki Tuesday said his administration in keeping with his campaign promises of which workers welfare topped the lists had remained religiously committed to implementing positive workers’ policies that have improved their welfare. He disclosed that outstanding pensions and gratuities owed workers since the creation of the state would be paid on or before the 15th of May, 2018 while directing all ministries to work out the new promotion entitlements and to ensure that it is reflected in the salaries of the newly prompted workers on or before 15th of May 2018 when salaries are usually paid. “May I also assure you that Ebonyi state shall adopt proposed new national minimum wage when approved and that we shall do in keeping with our promise which we made to the workers that we shall treasure their support and repay them for their support” “Our administration has in keeping with the mandate of exterminating poverty out of our land and from the civil servants has secured a loan of N4B from the Bank of Industry, BOI with a single digit interest for our workers to access and engage themselves meaningfully in agricultural programme that will have serious impact in their economic standing” “We have also organized the first ever agricultural summit for our civil servants to get them acquainted with our new programme of returning back to agriculture as the main stay of our economy in the face of the dwindling oil price” Governor Umahi further said “ we have had our own share of the challenges arising primarily from the dwindling allocation from the federal government due to the oil downfall but we have kept hope alive and have taken the welfare of our workers as the topmost priority and this includes, payment of their salaries and other entitlements even in the face of the above challenges” He further called for prayers as the nation is going through various security challenges which he said has remained unabated despite various security approaches that have been adopted adding “as we celebrate today, it has become imperative to do so in sober reflection of various bloodshed going on in almost every part of the country and to continue to beseech God in prayers to help Nigeria wriggle out of these unfortunate security challenges that tend to divide the country along various lines” Earlier in his address, the Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Leonard Nkah described this year workers’ day as the best and memorable since the creation of the state, adding that the governor has met the needs of the workers.