Abia begins payment of new minimum wage

The governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has announced the willingness of his administration to start paying workers of the state civil service the new federal government’s minimum wage, starting this January. 

Ikpeazu stated this in his new year’s State Broadcast to the people of the state on Wednesday, January 1, 2020.

Efforts by our correspondent to speak to the NLC and other labour leaders to ascertain if the minimum wage is in line with the recommendation of the joint committee on the consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage which was setup recently by the governor of the state, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu failed as the NLC chapter chairman could not be reached for comments.

However, a source in the state chapter of the NLC who spoke anonymously told our reporter that the committee would be presenting their report on the consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage to the governor by tomorrow, Thursday, 2 at the State Government House.

Ikpeazu in the speech also stated that the government is also mindful of the challenges faced by Pensioners in the state, adding that his administration is making deliberate efforts to address pension and other debt arrears.

“On the welfare of workers in Abia State, we have substantially improved our ability to pay our workers their wages and on time too. This is evidenced by the fact that we have sustained the payment of salaries to our workers by the 26th of every month and we were able to pay December salaries by the 24th of December.

“This is also evidenced by the fact that we have started paying our pensioners from December 2019. We will sustain this going forward and ensure that pensioners get paid every month while working out modalities to clear arrears that predate our administration.

“We have reengineered our financial sector for optimal functionality and in the year 2020, we shall endeavour to ensure that all civil servants in Abia State including teachers, staff of parastatals and their pensioners receive their emoluments every month.”

“We are undaunted by the challenges that face us in our journey to build an Abia State that we will all be proud of. These challenges provide for us, platforms which we will climb to get to the heights we aspire to.

“Abia is a great state and we will continue to make it great. We have no doubt about our destination and together, we will arrive at the Abia of our collective aspirations.

Speaking on his vision for the state in 2020, Ikpeazu said who stated that his administration would be developing all sectors of the state economy to make them attractive for investors to come and invest said “I am happy to announce that we have put in place financial and logistic modalities to ensure the completion of a number of roads in 2020 and we will intensify efforts in that regard. We are also working towards the completion of the processes required for the drawdown of the African Development Bank facility that will enable us revamp infrastructure in Abia State.

“In 2020, we will continue to partner with the World Bank through NEWMAP, RAMP and other intervention programs by sustaining the payment of our counterpart funds to ensure these projects continue. Overall, the outlook for infrastructural development in 2020 is very bright.

“We recently strengthened some of our critical Agencies with new Management to enhance their effectiveness and in 2020, we have given them new mandates to ensure optimal delivery. Going forward, we have also given a mandate to our Agencies to fashion out creative means of self-sustenance without having to add to the financial burdens of the state. A number of them have rolled out critical programs for the year 2020 and as a Government, we will support them to succeed.

“In the year 2020, we will intensify our pursuit of on-going partnerships for the realization of the Enyimba Economic City project. It is expected that the first phase of construction work on the project shall commence shortly in collaboration with our private partners and anchor tenants. This project remains the darling of investors everywhere we go and we are elated that it is located in Abia State. We have no doubt whatsoever that the project will succeed. 

“In the year 2020, we will continue our support to the Agricultural sector as a key pillar in our development agenda. While intensifying support for primary production, our focus is also shifting to agro-processing.

“We have earmarked four products – rice, palm produce, cassava and poultry. In this category, we will continue to boost both the production and marketing of Abia rice and other specific products. I, therefore, wish to reiterate my call to Abians with the means to invest in production in Abia State. 

Our economy will grow faster if Abians with means invest their resources in the productive sector of the state. Our state is an investment goldmine and I call on our brethren both at home and abroad to come and invest in Abia State so that together, we can strengthen the economy of the state.

“We are rebuilding markets and shall continue to train our traders and artisans on global best practices to increase their competitiveness. We shall engage every legitimate instrument to ensure our capacity to advance Abia products in the global market place and integrate technology into the productive activities of our people.

“Our revamped Marketing and Quality Management Agency has been mandated to embark on an aggressive standardisation drive to ensure the quality of goods and services in Abia State and I urge businesses to cooperate with them.

“Permit me to announce to you that with the success we recorded with Golden Guinea Breweries Plc, efforts are ongoing in earnest to restore other moribund industries in Abia State. Our Administration has deliberately separated the Ministry of Industry from Trade and Investment, so that it may give attention to this purpose. No effort will be spared by this Administration to see these industries back to production. 

“We are working towards ensuring that by the end of the year 2020, we will announce that one or more of these industries have come back to production.

“Our programme of building the capacity of teachers through continuous training and retraining on core subjects remains ongoing.

“Our policies on Education so far have raised the enrolment in public schools across board. The school lunch programme in the state will be sustained to further improve the outcomes in 2020.