Abia State Government has reiterated it’s commitment to addressing the issue of salary increment for civil servants in the state in response to the the rising cost of living following the Federal Government’s removal of fuel subsidy.
The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu stated this while briefing Newsmen on the outcome of this week’s Executive Council Meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.
Prince Kanu, who noted the state’s commitment to ensuring the well-being of its workforce emphasized that the present government is actively monitoring conversations within the federal government concerning salary increments.
He said that the Governor Otti led administration would make proclamations on the issue at the appropriate time, taking into account the state’s financial capacity.
“The State Government is interested in improvement of workers’ welfare in the state and is currently monitoring conversations of the Federal Government on the issue of salary increment.
“The State Government would make a proclamation on the issue of salary increment at the appropriate time in line with what it can afford”, Prince Kanu stated.
Prince Kanu stated that the present government has done a lot in the past 11 months including off setting the pension arrears and restoring full payment of pension to pensioners in the state.
“We’ve done so much in eleven months and that’s not sounding immodest. It’s been a case of promise made and promise kept.
“Last month, when the government paid outstanding pension arrears to our pensioners, there was a promise made and that promise is that as from this month (April), our pensioners were going to get 100 percent of their pensions.
“I want to announce to us that, that has just happened. Since the 27th of this month they have been receiving their alerts”.
Contributing, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Chinedu Ekeke assured that the Dr. Otti led administration is interested in the improvement of workers’ welfare adding that salary increment is part of that plan.
“The Federal Government is currently considering a wage review and negotiations are ongoing. At the State Executive Council level, we are monitoring that conversation.
“Our stand as a state government is that we do not want to go ahead of the Federal Government to make a proclamation on that because you do not know where the direction that the federal government is headed.
“So, it is better for us to wait and then see what the Federal Government wants to do and then we now look at what we can afford as a state and then move but clearly, the state government is interested in the improvement of workers’ welfare and salaries’ increment is part of that plan“, Ekeke said.
The Commissioner for Land and Housing, Mr. Chaka Chukwumereije, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Culture, Sir Chris Onwuegbu, the State Director of Information, Mrs. Ugochi Ihediwa were present at the briefing.
