Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has approved the payment of N85,000.00 as the new minimum wage for civil servants employed by the Rivers State Government.
The approval was reached after a closed-door meeting between the governor and representatives of organised labour under the aegis of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council at Government House, Port Harcourt, on Friday.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting, the Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr. George Nwaeke, who spoke on behalf of the government, affirmed that Governor Fubara had graciously approved the new minimum wage of N85,000.00, adding that implementation would commence in November 2024.
“He (Governor Fubara) has pronounced a figure that is higher than the National Minimum Wage. He announced a sum of N85,000.00, which surpasses the minimum wage prescribed nationally.
“As the Head of Service and a major stakeholder in the labour family, I am very happy to say that the Rivers State Civil Servants have never had it this good since the inception of this state. The labour union leaders and all other stakeholders are pleased with this development,” he added.
Responding to questions on the possible payment of arrears, Dr. Nwaeke explained that the issue was yet to be determined, as a technical committee has been established to develop a viable payment plan addressing the matter.
He clarified, “Issues of arrears will be worked out by the committee, where I will serve as the Deputy to the SSG. We are already working on it, and the technical committee will finalize the details and inform the press in due course.”
In his remarks, the Rivers State Chairman of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, Comrade Emecheta Chuku, stated that the meeting was their first with Governor Fubara to discuss the new minimum wage as approved by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Chuku expressed satisfaction with the N85,000 minimum wage, noting that it reflects the Governor’s commitment to workers’ welfare.
“For the Governor to commit to paying N85,000.00 despite the challenges he is facing demonstrates his love for the workers. Our hearts are full of joy,” Chuku said. “Governor Fubara is a decent and responsible leader who rose through the ranks in the system. He understands what it means to earn a living wage and the difference between a gift and a sustainable salary.”
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Rivers State Chapter, Comrade Alex Agwanwor, noted that the approval of N85,000.00 by Governor Fubara places Rivers State alongside Lagos State as the top minimum wage-paying state in Nigeria.
Agwanwor said, “Lagos State said N85,000.00, and Rivers State is also paying N85,000.00. Despite the difference in IGRs between both states, the Governor’s decision to pay the same rate with Lagos puts us at the top.
“We are the best, and we will continue to commend the Governor. We assure him that labour will stand with him throughout his tenure, even for the next eight years.
“His Excellency, our Number One Worker in Rivers State, has once again proven himself worthy of the award given to him on May Day as the Champion of Labour and the Most Labour-Friendly Governor in Nigeria. Today, he has reaffirmed that.”
He concluded by saying that the labour leaders would return to the State Secretariat Complex to inform workers of the Governor’s generosity and support for civil servants in the state.
