The Kogi State government has approved a new minimum wage of N72,500 for state civil servants and local government workers.
Governor Usman Ododo made this announcement while receiving the report from the State Minimum Wage Committee at the banquet hall of the Government House in Lokoja on Monday.
The committee had been tasked with exploring the implementation of the new wage for workers.
Governor Ododo emphasized that consequential adjustments would apply to all categories of workers in the state, noting that this step fulfills his administration’s promise to serve the people. He also declared a one-year tax relief for all civil servants, a decision that was met with enthusiastic applause.
“After looking at all indices, we have discussed and agreed jointly, and I have graciously approved the sum of N72,500 as the minimum wage for all categories of workers,” said Ododo.
He urged civil servants to commit fully to his administration’s vision for the state’s transformation.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Kogi State Minimum Wage Committee and Head of Service, Mr. Elijah Abenemi, explained that the committee, established on September 17th, 2024, had the mandate to determine how to implement the new minimum wage. He noted that the committee held extensive discussions to achieve the best possible outcome for Kogi’s workers.
Abenemi described the task as challenging but praised the governor for choosing and approving the committee’s first option from the four presented.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Kogi, Comrade Gabriel Amari, expressed gratitude to Governor Ododo for his decision. However, he noted that the union would continue to advocate for more improvements, calling on the governor to address outstanding issues like promotion arrears and leave bonuses.
