By Okey Maduforo Awka
The perceived rumors of face off between Gov Charles Soludo of Anambra state and the civil servants was put paid to following the agreement among the duo of government and the organized labour that workers would be paid N 70,000.00 as minimum wage.
In the same vein pensioners in the state are to be paid the sum of N10,000.00 non taxable award monthly by the state government.
A break down of the minimum wage sum indicates that after all deductions the gross salary can range from N78,000.00 to N84,000.00.
This agreement was reached at about 11 am at the Governor”s lodge Amawbia were fifty six heads of labour Unions met with Gov Charles Soludo over the welfare of workers and Pensioners.
Recall that during the last Workers day this year the Deputy Governor Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim who represented Gov Charles Soludo had announced that the governor has set up a joint committee made up of the heads of the organized labour and government to work out the ratio for the welfare of workers including minimum wage.
Stories however went to town that Gov Charles Soludo’s absence at the 2024 Workers Day was a deliberate ploy to avoid workers and sent his Deputy which almost ended up in crisis when Ibezim made the announcement about the labour, government parley.
According to Soludo shortly after the meeting;
“This evening I held the final meeting with the State Committee on Implementation of Minimum Wage— including 56 leaders of the organized labour”
” We approved the proposal by organized labour to ensure that the Minimum Take-Home for a worker (after all deductions, including tax and Union dues) is at least N70,000 per month ( the gross salary could range from N78,000 to N84,000)”
“We care deeply for the welfare of our workers including the new 8,115 teachers and other 3,300 workers employed since we assumed office barely 30 months ago”
“In addition, we considered the plight of our pensioners”
“We also approved a monthly, non-taxable cash award of N10,000 to our pensioners (in addition to their monthly pension)’
Reacting to this development the Anambra state Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists Dr Odogwu Emeka Odogwu who was at the meeting said that it was a cheering moment.
“It was a cheering moment for the Labour Leaders at Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia this night when against all odds ,Governor of Anambra State, Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo announced his approval for immediate payment of the new Minimum wage”
“According to Soludo, the least paid worker in Anambra State is to go home with nothing less than N70,000, even as, it could be more ranging between N78,000 to N84,000, depending on the outcome of the tabulation by the government team”
“This is coming as Governor Soludo announced a monthly cash award of N10,000 to all Pensioners in the state, until a time the Pension salary shall be reviewed. This interim cash award ,he said was necessitated on his goodwill and empathy on the situation of the pensioners who nobody remembers in all the noise about new Minimum wage”
“The Organized Labour leaders were led by Chairman Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Humphrey Emeka Nwafor and Trade Union Congress Chairman, Comrade Chris Ogbonna. The Chairman, Anambra JNC, Comrade Edith Onwuka was there too”
“Almost all the unions were represented by their labour leaders including the NUJ, JUSUN NULGE, NUT ,NUP , to mention but a few, even as Government team had the SSG, Head of Service, Auditor General of the State, Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Commissioner for Finance and Chief of Staff among others’
“While assuring the Organized Labour that his government is committed for a better secured Anambra, Prof Soludo announced that the state in days to come shall take delivery of hundreds of security vehicles for the vigilant groups and other security agencies even as other security measures are being negotiated”
“He urged workers to think positively about Contributory Pension scheme to save themselves of Pension agonies, adding that the earlier the state workers return to Contributory Pension scheme, the better for them’
“For the NLC Chairman, the Governor made the negotiations easier by the approvals and thanked him for being worker friendly, even as he requested him to always do more for Anambra workers as a father” he said.
