Eno Shifts Akwa Ibom Minimum Wage Payment

Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has shifted the payment of the new minimum wage until staff verification is completed.

The state government had proposed the payment of N80, 000 as minimum two months and raised a committee for its implementation.

It announced its readiness to pay the new minimum wage with effect from November 2024 after Labour threatened .

So after, the state branch of the Nigeria Labour Congress reached an agreement with the state government and suspended the statewide strike scheduled to begin on 3rd December.

In a statement issued by the NLC, after the suspension of the strike, it insisted that “the minimum wage is effective 1st November and since salary had already been paid for November 2024, the differential arrears shall be paid on or before February 2025.

” That the December 2024 salary be paid based on the agreed new minimum wage.”

But speaking during the Christmas Carol festival, Eno said payment would not be carried out until the verification was completed.

According to the governor, the state decided to pay N80, 000 minimum wage with effect from November 2024, but will commence payment after completing the ongoing verification exercise to ascertain the true number of workers in the State.

He said that though labour had agreed to forgo the 13th month salary, for commencement of minimum wage, the government has decided to still continue the payment in the spirit of the season.

“I am waiting for the verification exercise to be completed, if it is done today, I am ready to start payment tomorrow, ” he said.

The Governor urged everyone to spread love especially to the less privileged, and presented a cheque of N5m to one Usen Akpan Matthew for his volunteer service, while promising better days for those who have imbibed the ARISE spirit and have volunteered their services at different areas of need.

He launched the ARISE Home Farmers Scheme (AHFS), an initiative aimed at encouraging everyone to have a farm or garden at home.

He noted that the scheme was adapted from the Renewed Hope Initiative of the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who earlier launched the “Every Home a Garden” initiative to encourage first – time female farmers to cultivate home gardens.

Governor Eno who had earlier appreciated and adapted the elderly support scheme of the First Lady, where over 600 elderly citizens in the State are selected monthly and given N50, 000 each with some food items and multivitamins, said in the AHFS, 50 home farmers will be selected and given N500, 000 each to boost their farms.

He explained that the scheme is basically to encourage home farmers in line with the ARISE spirit, stressing that everyone should have at least a garden within his home to help stem the increasing cost of staple food and accompanying items.

The Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Sir Charles Udoh said the 2024 Christmas Carol was the 17th edition, adding that in 2010, a concert featuring 25,272 carol singers made it to the Guinness World Records, and the event has consistently been improving over the years.

He commended the Governor for furthering the largest single gathering of Christian worshipers worldwide, stressing that it remains the most longed-for, and well-attended Carol festival in the country and beyond.

In his remarks, the State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Bishop Christian Nyong, commended the Governor for furthering the annual Christmas Carol festival and described the 2024 edition as a golden outing.

He also commended the Governor for not disappointing the Christian community, adding that he is not just a pastor by title, but more by mantle, and urged everyone to continue to pray for him as, according to him, Governor Eno remains the best thing that has happened to the State.

Eno Shifts Akwa Ibom Minimum Wage Payment is first published on The Whistler Newspaper