The Ebonyi State government has announced an increment in the minimum wage of civil servants from N70,000 to N90,000.

The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Ikeuwa Omebe, made the disclosure on Thursday while briefing journalists on the outcome of the state Executive Council meeting.

Mr Omebe said that the increment was to enhance workers’ welfare, adding that the implementation was with immediate effect and covered all categories of the workforce.

He said, “We want to state categorically that this is not a political statement, as this government does not toy with workers’ welfare. The government has offset the pension and gratuities of state retirees from its creation in 1996 to date. The verification process for retirees in the local government areas had commenced and when completed, the payment will be made.’’

He also said that if the government did not play politics with such huge financial obligations, it would not do so with an additional N20,000 to workers.

“The governor is a leader, builder of capacity, human beings and infrastructure. The government is anchored on the biblical people’s charter of needs mantra, which is leading the people according to their needs,” the commissioner said.

Mr Omebe noted that the EXCO also considered the implementation of the eighth-year tenure policy for directors and immediate retirement of those who served for the period on the same cadre. 

He said, “The EXCO exhaustively deliberated on the issue and approved its implementation for the affected permanent secretaries and directors.’’ 

(NAN)