BY Kunle Daramola
Peter Mbah, the governor of Enugu, has announced the disbursement of cash awards to the state workers till April 2024.
Mbah, who spoke on Wednesday at a press briefing, also said enrolment on the state’s social register has increased from 43,000 to 260,000.
He said the cash award would be between N10,000 and N250,000, adding that negotiation for the new minimum wage would soon be concluded.
“As you may be aware, since the removal of the petroleum subsidy, we have been in constant negotiation with the labour unions in the state, crafting a way forward on how we can provide palliatives to our teeming workforce,” he said.
“So, by the time you put a monetary value to all the social services we have provided, it will weigh well above N100,000 minimum wage.
“But in addition to that, with effect from next month (December), we are going to also make a flat payment to all categories of our workers, beginning from our local government to the primary and secondary school teachers, and civil servants.
“We are going to categorise them and there will be a flat payment of between N10,000 and 25,000, depending on the category. That payment is going to continue till April.
“Our hope is that by the end of April, the committee that is reviewing the minimum wage would have come out with what would then become the new minimum wage in the state.
“So, from there, we are just going to carry on the implementation of what is then set as the minimum wage.”
In July, the national economic council (NEC) chaired by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, resolved to update the national social register for lacking credibility.
The council said proposed cash benefits for Nigerians would be transferred based on social registers compiled by each state.
The council said states should come up with their registers, using formal and informal means.
Betta Edu, minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation, recently said verification of the social register is ongoing.
Edu added that her ministry is working with “state governors and stakeholders in the local governments to verify and expand the register”.
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