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The chairman of the Benue State chapter of the Trade Union Congress, Gideon Akaa, has said the union is still dialoguing with the government over the new minimum wage.
Akaa disclosed this on Friday following a spate of rumours that the state government has agreed to pay ₦40,000 as the new national minimum wage to civil servants instead of the ₦71,000 signed into law by the president.
Read Also: ‘We’re Starving’: 150 Retired Abia Officials To Gov Otti
He said: “I am not aware of the rumour of N40,000. We held a meeting with the government and the negotiation is still ongoing.
“Nobody has mentioned anything about N40,000 to the best of my knowledge. So, where the rumour is coming from, I do not know. Government has not agreed to pay any amount. We are still negotiating. Once the negotiation is concluded, we will sign an agreement.
“As the negotiation is still ongoing, we have so many figures but we are yet to agree on something. We have N75,000 and N77,000 on the negotiation table.”
In other news, Permanent Secretaries in Abia State who retired from service in 2023 have made an urgent appeal to Governor Alex Otti for the disbursement of their severance packages and other benefits, including gratuities that are owed to them.
Speaking at a press conference in Umuahia, the retired officials expressed their urgent need for assistance, highlighting how the unpaid severance packages have placed immense economic pressure on them, complicating their transition into retirement.
Mr. Nkwachukwu Agumuo, the spokesperson for the group, expressed his belief that the state government should have acted swiftly to resolve their severance payments, given the abrupt and unforeseen nature of their termination from service.
He stressed that it is vital for the government to facilitate the provision of funds, which are essential for them to reestablish their lives and adequately care for their families in the aftermath of their abrupt departure from service.
