The governor of Cross Rivers State has announced N40,000 as the new minimum wage for civil servants in the state.
Bassey Otu made the announcement on Wednesday at U. J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar, where he joined the 2024 Workers Day celebration, the spokesperson to the governor, Nsa Gill said in a statement.
According to the statement, Mr Otu said the new minimum wage aligns with “the realities of the time rather than sentiments”.
“Owing to the peculiarity of Cross River State regarding its lean finances occasioned by low Statutory Federal Allocation and aggravated by the unfavourable State GDP to Debt servicing ratio, the new wage implementation is in line with the realities of the time rather than sentiments,” the governor was quoted as saying.
The governor appealed to the workers to exercise patience regarding the backlog of gratuities dating back to 2014.
“Government is presently on the verge of concluding necessary arrangements for the staggered payment of outstanding gratuity to its retired workers,” Mr Otu said.
“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 characterises my administration,”
The governor is the second South-south state governor to announce a new minimum wage amidst ongoing negotiations between the federal government and labour unions on a new national minimum wage.
Edo governor Godwin Obaseki had announced N70,000 as the new minimum wage for civil servants in the state.
