Despite the economic crisis forced on the nation by the COVID-19 pandemic and the falling prices of oil, Nigeria’s major source of revenue, Akwa Ibom State Government has paid the April salary of all its workers, making it perhaps the first state to do so.
A statement from the state government said the payment of salaries before the 24th day of the month, accordingly affirms Governor Udom Emmnauel’s vow to always make the welfare of workers his top priority, even in challenging economic circumstances.
It recalled the Governor Emmanuel was among the first to pay its workers the new minimum wage with effect from December 2019 adding that he has always displayed a passionate interest in the welfare and wellbeing of workers, a gesture which was clearly seen when on assumption of office in 2015 he cleared the backlog of salary arrears of workers, up to ten years.
The statement noted that “even with the challenging times we are faced with, Governor Emmanuel has given food relief to all the over 300 villages in the state, to cushion the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic- a gesture that has been lauded and celebrated by the people of the state.”
A Grade Level 9 worker in the state Ministry of Agriculture, Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs Arit Akpan, told our reporter she was pleasantly surprised to see the salary alert on her phone.
“With the economy of the country nearly brought to a standstill and a deliberate lockdown policy to control the spread of the Coronavirus disease, it had been feared that payment of workers salaries would be delayed especially since we had done virtually nothing than stay at home with our families for most of April. May God bless our dear governor for his deep commitment to the welfare of the workers,” she added.
