“Ebonyi State to Begin Payment of New Minimum Wage in September” – Information Commissioner

The Ebonyi State Government has announced that it will commence the implementation of the Federal Government’s approved National Minimum Wage for civil servants in the state starting September 2024.

Jude Okpor, the state’s Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, disclosed this during an exclusive interview on Thursday. He stated that the move is part of the administration’s broader economic policies aimed at improving the living standards of Ebonyi’s citizens.

Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru’s administration, according to Okpor, is the first in the South East region to approve the implementation of the new minimum wage for workers. He highlighted that this decision is part of the governor’s commitment to addressing the economic challenges faced by citizens, especially in the wake of the removal of fuel subsidies, which has led to rising costs of living across Nigeria.

“In response to the economic hardship caused by the fuel subsidy removal, Governor Nwifuru initially implemented a wage increment of N10,000, which was later upgraded to N20,000 to ease the burden on civil servants,” Okpor explained.

He also noted that the governor’s administration has introduced various empowerment programs, benefiting both indigenes and non-indigenes. The payment of the new minimum wage is the latest in a series of measures aimed at improving economic conditions in the state.

“The governor has given directives to the relevant authorities to begin the payment of the new national minimum wage this September,” Okpor confirmed.