Otti To Implement N35, 000 Wage Award Approved By Federal Government

In a bid to cushion the effects of the economic hardship in the country the Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti says his administration is considering plans to implement the N35,000 wage award approved by the federal government for workers.

The governor disclosed this when the executive members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Abia State Council paid him a working visit on Friday.

Otti stated that a committee has been set up to that effect and has submitted its first report.

He however said that he directed the Committee to deepen its work and report back to him, adding that he has directed the Commissioner for Finance to also look at the discriminatory salary structure for health workers in the state as it concerns the issue of consolidated health salary structure.

The governor assured the NLC executives that his administration will critically look into arrears of salaries owed Abia workers in various MDAS and parastatals including ,ABSUTH, ASUBEB, ASCETA, Abiapoly, primary school teachers among others by the previous administration.

He also said that a team is working with the Nigerian Union of Pensioners to reach a resolution on how to defray the pension arrears owed pensioners in the state.

Governor Otti observed that there are still bad eggs in the system who still engage in padding of salaries and other vices.

The governor implored the NLC to help identify the bad eggs in the system who still engaged in padding of salaries and other vices as such people are stealing from the government.

“There are a lot of people who are collecting salaries but are not coming to work. My challenge to NLC is to help us, what they (ghost workers) are doing, they are steeling from you. It is very important you take it as responsibility,” he added.

Speaking during the visit, the State Chairman Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC) ,Comrade Ogbonnaya Okoro appealed to the Governor to consider implementing the N35,000 wage bill approved for workers by the federal government and address the high-handedness of some government appointees against civil servants,

He also appealed to the Governor to help offset the arrears of salaries ranging from 3-30 months owed various categories of workers by the previous administration.