A’ Ibom pays N18000 new minimum wage from April

Posted by admin Akwa Ibom, State News Thursday, April 7th, 2011

It was jubilation galore among civil servants in Akwa Ibom State yesterday following the announcement that beginning from April, 2011, the workers would start enjoying the new minimum wage of N 18,000. Governor Akpabio announced the decision in Uyo during the sixth Delegates Conference of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC.

Akpabio noted that in less than four years of his administration, government has established clearly, a labour-friendly posture, and urged the unions to continue to e xplore creative partnership with government in the interest of workers and the state.
The governor directed labour to partner with the ministry of finance to ensure that the directive on the commencement of the new salary structure was implemented.
He recalled that in the last four years, government-labour relations in the state was mutually beneficial and rewarding, and approved the building of a rain school for the training of labour leaders in the state.

Governor Akpabio also said his administration was doing everything possible to meet the demands of organized labour in the state, recalling also that when the federal government approved the 15% salary increment for workers, the state was the first to implement. He said the 13th-month salary, known as “ Akpabiomber” paid to workers in the state was a way to maintain civil servants’ welfare which , he said, is a policy of the current administration. The governor also recalled that his administration has donated 18 vehicles to labour- 15 buses and 3 cars- though he met 7 on ground.

He also listed the 27% TSS salary scale approved for teachers, increment of allowances for doctors and other health workers, recruitment of 30 consultants into the health sector, when he actually met one as well as the purchase of utility vehicles for all medical doctors employed by the state government. Governor Akpabio hinted that about 4000 workers have been employed in different cadres of the civil service in the last three years.

Earlier, the chairperson of the NLC, Comrade Unyime Usoro thanked the governor for keeping faith with workers.
Comrade Usoro recalled that in 2009, labour had presented the governor with a portrait of solidarity, noting that the solidarity of labour to the governor was forever. He prayed government to continue in the sponsorship of labour summits, and solicited for assistance for labour organizations, and to look into other demands of labour.

He also called for the employment of more teachers and construction of more classroom blocks as the free and compulsory education policy of the state for all Nigerian children resident in Akwa Ibom state has created “exponential growth” in schools. Highpoint of the event was a proclamation by of the Trade Union Congress, TUC that Governor Godswill Akpabio should remain in government house till 2015.

Making the proclamation on behalf of the TUC, the chairman, Comrade Akamba Awah commended the governor on his achievements for the state, stressing that Akpabio was indeed, a labour-friendly governor.

-Sunwp_posts