Imo Government Approves ₦104,000 Minimum Wage for Workers
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has approved a new minimum wage of ₦104,000 for civil servants in the state. The announcement was made on Wednesday during a meeting with leaders of labour unions at the Government House in Owerri.
The new wage replaces the former ₦76,000 benchmark and takes effect immediately. Alongside the general increase, the governor also announced substantial salary reviews for some categories of workers. Doctors in the state will now earn ₦503,000, up from ₦215,000, while lecturers in tertiary institutions will see their pay rise from ₦119,000 to ₦222,000.
Governor Uzodimma explained that the wage adjustment was made possible by the state’s improved financial standing. He said Internally Generated Revenue had grown from about ₦400 million monthly in 2020 to over ₦3 billion, while the state debt burden had dropped from over ₦280 billion to under ₦100 billion.
The governor further noted that although the removal of fuel subsidy had increased the cost of living, it also spurred reforms that opened up more revenue channels for the state. According to him, the new wage reflects the government’s determination to cushion the effect of rising prices and to reward workers for their service.
With this approval, Imo State becomes one of the leading states in the country to set its minimum wage above the national benchmark, a move expected to boost worker morale and strengthen labour relations in the state.
