By Joshua Chibuzo Andrew, Owerri
Imo Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, has approved 40, 000 naira as the new minimum wage to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.
The Governor while addressing members of the state Executive Council, the cleric and other critical Imo stakeholders on Saturday at the Rockview Hotels Owerri, said that the current economic situation caused by the fuel subsidy removal, is really biting hard on the people.
He rolled out among other palliatives, the review of workers salary structure, approving a ten percent increment in the minimum wage, declaring a free daily meal and free medical treatment for all state workers, and provision of more free buses for Imo workers.
Qualified genuine farmers in the state, he said, will be given soft loan grants of N5billion (five billion naira) and be provided with seedlings and farm tools to boost their produce.
Hear him, “i have discovered, with pain, how some traders are taking advantage of the economic situation to increase the prices of food items in the market. Against this backdrop, the government will soon establish Imo State Marketing and Commodity Board (ISMCB), which will ensure food items are sold at normal prices. We shall achieve this by setting up low cost markets in the state where prices of food items and commodities will be affordable for the masses. The markets will be situated in all the 27 LGAs of the state.
“My government is also planning to build a low cost housing estate for the low-income salary earners in the state. This will be sited at Mgbidi in Orlu zone, Nekede in Owerri zone and Anara in Okigwe zone.
“In the same vein, we are introducing a Scholarship Education Board for our brilliant students whose parents are poor to train them in school. I have found out that most of our brilliant children come from poor homes and end up not furthering their education after leaving the primary and secondary school. These brilliant students will be given scholarship to higher institutions.”
