The Abia Government and Organised Labour in the state, on Tuesday, signed the agreement for the implementation of the N70,000 Minimum Wage and Consequential Salary Adjustment.

The agreement was signed at the conclusion of negotiations between the representatives of the two parties.

Speaking after the meeting at the Government House, Umuahia, Gov.

Otti, represented by his Chief of Staff, Dr Caleb Ajagba, said that the payment of the new minimum wage would take effect from this month.

He said: “We want to assure you that effective this month of October this new minimum wage comes into effect.

“This implies that Abia State workers would be receiving their salaries reflecting the new national minimum wage.

“That is to say that those at the lowest rung, that is Grade Level 1, step 1, will receive a minimum N70,000 and hope that this magnanimity would also be rewarded by commitment to higher productivity.”

Otti said that the government would remain at the forefront of improving every aspect of Abia workers’ welfare.

According to him, an empowered workforce remains the greatest tool for driving the economic growth of the state.

Otti said that the implementation of new minimum wage was in fulfillment of the government’s promise to be one of the first state governments that would pay the new minimum wage.

“It is also on record that around July, when the issue of minimum wage was being concluded by the Federal Government, we were in the forefront to invite labour to start discussing issues relating to the minimum wage,” he said.

He thanked labour for the level of maturity it showed all through the process of the negotiations.

“We had some gray areas, we also resolved them amicably. That is in the spirit of collective bargain,” he said.

Otti said that the decision to maintain the N70,000 minimum wage benchmark set by the Federal Government was informed by his resolve not to make promises that would not be fulfilled.

He said that plans were underway to evolve innovative solutions that would cushion the effect of the current economic situation on the workers and people of Abia.

In a speech, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr Ogbonnaya Okoro, described the occasion as  another landmark in the implementation of the minimum wage in Abia.

Okoro commended the government for being one of the first to implement the agreement between labour and the Federal Government.

He also thanked the Abia workforce for being patient and steadfast to their duties and expressed gratitude to God for the occasion.

“We want the Abia workforce to know that this is just the beginning, because other good things are coming and by the grace of God we will reach our destination,” Okoro said.

In a remark, the Head of Service, Dr Ngozi Obioma, thanked the State Government for prioritising the welfare of workers in the state.

Obioma said that the implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage would serve as a motivation to the Abia workforce.

She promised to ensure that the implementation of the new minimum wage would yield increased productivity from Abia workers. (NAN)