By Abiola Olawale
Despite the political turmoil bedevilling Rivers State, residents, civil servants in the state are beaming in joy after Governor Siminalayi Fubara announced an approval of N85,000 as the minimum wage in the state.
The governor approved the minimum wage for workers on Friday during a meeting with representatives of organised labour at the government house in Port Harcourt, the Rivers capital.
Speaking with the press after the meeting, the head of the Rivers State civil service, George Nwaeke, said the implementation of the minimum wage will begin in November.
Nwaeke said: “He (Fubara) has announced a figure that is higher than the national minimum wage. He has set a sum of N85,000, which is above the minimum wage prescribed nationally.
“As the head of service and a major stakeholder in the labour family, I am very pleased to say that Rivers state civil servants have never had it this good since the inception of this state.
“The labour union leaders and all the other major stakeholders were pleased with this development.”
Also speaking, Emecheta Chuku, chairman of the joint public service negotiating council, commended the governor for approving the minimum wage for workers in the state.
“For the governor to come, despite all the crises and challenges he is facing, and to declare that he will pay N85,000 as the minimum wage, fills our hearts with joy,” Chuku said.
He added:”Of course, we have no doubt, knowing the kind of person we have as our governor. He is a decent man, very responsible, and has risen through the ranks of the system.
“He understands what it takes to earn a living salary. He comprehends the difference between gifting money and paying someone a salary that can sustain them from the first day to the last day of the month.”
This comes after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed a minimum wage bill into law in July 204, increasing the workers’ pay package from N30,000 to N70,000, into law.
