Pastor Umo Eno, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, has announced N80,000 as the new minimum wage for civil servants employed by the state government.

In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information, Ini Ememobong on Wednesday, the governor ordered for constitution of an implementation committee which would within one month come up with a report on how the wage increase will be executed.

The Head of the state Civil Service, Mr Effiong Essien will chair the committee while 15 senior government officials would serve as members.

The statement listed members of the committee to include: Chairman, State Civil Service Commission, Chairman, Local Government Service Commission, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Permanent Secretary, Department of Establishments, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning, Permanent Secretary/Solicitor General, Ministry of Justice, Permanent Secretary/Accountant General, Permanent Secretary, Local Government Service Commission.

Others include Permanent Secretary, Office of the Head of Civil Service, Director of Budget, State Chairman, Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, Secretary, Joint Public Sector Negotiating Council, State Chairperson, Nigeria Labour Congress, Akwa Ibom State, State Chairman, Trade Union Congress, State President, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE).

The statement said, “The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, His Excellency, Pastor Umo Eno, has announced that the State Government will pay a new minimum wage of N80,000 for all state government employees.

“To ensure a smooth rollout of this policy, the governor has also constituted an implementation committee, which has been given one month to deliver its report on how the wage increase will be executed.”