By Muhammad Mamman
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hyacinth Ngwu, has called on governors in the South-East to follow the example of Imo and Ebonyi States by introducing more meaningful minimum wages for civil servants.
Ngwu, a former South-East publicity secretary of the APC, made the appeal in Enugu on Friday, stressing that the gesture would help cushion the impact of ongoing economic reforms on workers and their families.
“I encourage the governors of Abia, Anambra and Enugu States to emulate their counterparts in Imo and Ebonyi, and raise the basic salaries of civil servants to ease the current economic transition challenges,” he said. “In fact, the Imo template should not only be copied but even surpassed by others.”
Earlier this week, the Imo State government approved a new minimum wage of ₦104,000, while Ebonyi announced ₦90,000 for its workforce.
Ngwu, a founding member of the APC, praised both decisions, describing them as a clear demonstration of the party’s commitment to protecting citizens from the harsh effects of economic restructuring.
“These laudable moves by the governors of Imo and Ebonyi will positively impact individuals, families and the overall productivity of the people,” he noted.
He added that rising federal allocations and improved internally generated revenue across states had created the financial capacity to sustain higher wages and still fund infrastructure development.
Ngwu further argued that the prevailing hardship was a by-product of necessary reforms designed to reposition Nigeria’s economy for sustainable and resilient growth, insisting that better wages would help citizens weather the storm.
