Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has approved Eighty-Five Thousand Naira (N85,000) for civil servants in the state. This is N15,000 or over 20% above the federal government approved N70,000 new minimum wage.
The state executive governor gave the approval during a meeting with Labour Unions in the state under the auspices of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council in Government House, Port Harcourt.
Chairman of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council in Rivers State, Comrade Emecheta Braide Chukwu told newsmen shortly after the closed door meeting that the new national minimum wage as approved by the federal government of Nigeria was rewarding as the governor graciously approved the sum of N85,000 as the new minimum wage in Rivers State.
He described Governor Fubara as a humane, loving and kind leader who feels the pains of the people, as he has demonstrated in actions his mantra of placing the interest of Rivers State first, adding that despite distractions and the downturns, he has approved a robust minimum wage of N85,000 for the workers.
“Today, His Excellency, Governor of Rivers State, our own member of the civil service has pronounced that he is going to pay Rivers civil servants N85,000 minimum wage.
“He is a man that has placed Rivers State first above every other interest. He is a man that grew through the rank and file of the system. He knows what salary is, and he has demonstrated it this afternoon. I must tell you our heart is full of joy.”
Comrade Chukwu pointed out that as members of the organized labour, and the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, the umbrella body that negotiates salary for the welfare of civil servants they will report the good news back to the workers at the State Secretariat complex.
“He has done it before, he has done it again. We are looking forward to December when he will do more.
“You know what was brought from the national was very empty and it was nothing to write home about. So, if we rely on it for implementation we will end up getting nothing. So we are going to set up a technical committee arising from this meeting to make sure that by next month when the new salary will be paid, it will reflect the real salary.”
