Gov. Uzodimma increases minimum wage to N104,000 for Imo workers

Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma has approved a new minimum wage of N104,000 for state civil servants, marking a significant increase from the previous N76,000.

The announcement was made on Tuesday during a meeting with labour union leaders at the Government House, Owerri.

Alongside the general minimum wage, the governor approved notable increases for specific sectors. Doctors’ minimum wage rose from N215,000 to N503,000, while teachers in tertiary institutions saw their wages increase from N119,000 to N222,000.

Addressing labour leaders, Uzodimma acknowledged the challenges faced by Imo citizens since his administration began, citing insecurity, the COVID-19 pandemic, economic difficulties linked to reform policies, and disputes over wages and subsidies.

“We tried as a government to always put it behind our mind that there is no way any government will do well if it doesn’t have a friendly and cordial relationship with the organised labour. When workers are paid well, productivity rises, families are happier, and the local economy grows,” the governor said.

Uzodimma also highlighted improvements in the state’s finances. He noted that the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) increased from N400 million to over N3 billion per month, while federal allocations have risen from between N5 billion and N7 billion in 2020 to N14 billion currently.

He added that the state’s debt had been reduced from over N280 billion to less than N100 billion.

The governor also reassured workers of continued efforts to address pension arrears, announcing that the last batch of gratuity payments, totaling N16 billion, would begin on August 27.

In addition, Uzodimma spoke on reforms in the health sector, including the introduction of a health insurance scheme and upgrading of health facilities to ensure quality treatment for residents. He further encouraged labour unions to unite, maintain good relations with the government, and uphold ethical standards at work.

Reacting to the announcement, the Imo State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Uchechigemezu Nwigwe, described the wage increase as “a victory for the entire workforce in the state.”

He commended the governor for addressing economic challenges and making Imo one of the states with the highest minimum wage in Nigeria.