Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu announced that the new minimum wages for civil servants in the state would be N40,000.
At the Workers’ Day celebration held at the U.J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar, the governor made the statement.
Otu disclosed that under his government, paying salaries, workers’ wages, and pension benefits remains a top priority. He claimed that the new wage implementation is in line with the state’s current facts rather than feelings.
He emphasised that “People First” is this year’s Workers’ Day theme, which ironically aligns with the motto of my government.
The governor said:
“Owing to the peculiarity of Cross River State regarding its lean finances occasioned by low Statutory Federal Allocation and aggravated by the unfavorable State GDP to Debt servicing ratio, the new wage implementation is in line with the realities of the time rather than sentiments,” he said.
“Government is presently on the verge of concluding necessary arrangements for the staggered payment of outstanding gratuity to its retired workers.
“Accordingly, whatever action aimed at alleviating the suffering of the workers is readily embraced by me. One of such measures is the payment of a living wage to the workforce. May I, therefore, state categorically that the government of Cross River State, under my leadership, is willing and ready to put smiles on the faces of its workers and in line with the season of sweetness which characterizes my administration.”
cc: Daily Post Ng
