Starting from January 2020, Abia State Government, led by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, PhD, commenced payment of new minimum wage to Abia workers. In the entire south east region of the country, Abia State pays the highest amount per wage level and has the highest monthly wage bill.
While many states battled to pay half or full salary to civil servants during the lockdown period occasioned by the outbreak of COVID-19, Governor Ikpeazu religiously paid workers and continued with his key development projects including road construction, promotion of agriculture and SME development as well as improvement of healthcare infrastructure.
As at today, workers in the following establishments in Abia State have received September 2020 salaries and are not owed any arrears:
* ABA STATE COUNCIL OF ART AND CULTURE
* ABIA STATE HOUSING CORPORATION
* ABIA STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
* ABIA LAW REFORM AND REVIEW COMMISSION
* ABIA NEWSPAPERS
* ABIA SPECIALIST HOSPITAL AND DIAGNOSTIC CENTRE
* ABIA STATE BOARD OF INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE
* ABIA STATE FIRE SERVICE
* ABIA STATE JUDICIARY, HIGH COURT
* ABIA STATE LIAISON OFFICE, ABUJA
* ABIA STATE LIAISON OFFICE, LAGOS
* ABIA STATE LIBRARY BOARD
* ABIA STATE SPORTS COUNCIL
* ABIA STATE TOURISM BOARD
* ABIA STATE WATER BOARD
* ABIA STATE INDEPENDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSION (ABSIEC)
* AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (ADP)
* AGENCY FOR THE CONTROL OF HIV AND AIDS
* ABIA STATE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (ASEPA)
* ABIA STATE PRINTING AND PUBLISHING COMPANY (AMBASSADOR NEWSPAPER)
* BROADCASTING CORPORATION OF ABIA STATE (BCA)
* BUREAU OF ADMINISTRATION,
OFFICE OF THE HEAD OF SERVICE
* BUREAU OF COMMON SERVICES AND SERVICE MONITORING (HOS
* BUREAU OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
* BUREAU OF ESTABLISHSMENTS AND PENSIONS
* BUREAU OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS OFFICE OF THE SSG
* BUREAU OF STATISTICS
* BUREAU OF TRAINING, OFFICE OF THE HOS
* CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION
*EXCO SECRETARIAT
* GOVERNMENT HOUSE UMUAHIA
* GOVT HOUSE POLITICAL
^ INNER OFFICE OF THE HOS
* JUDICIAL SERVICE COMMISSION
*JUDICIARY CUSTOMARY COURT OF APPEAL
* LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUDIT
* LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE COMMISSION
* METALLURGICAL COMPLEX NIGERIA LIMITED ABA AND UMUAHIA
* MINISTRY OF TOURISM, ARTS AND CULTURE
* MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, UMUAHIA
* MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
* MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT
* MINISTRY OF FINANCE
* MINISTRY OF HEALTH
* MINISTRY OF HOME LAND SECURITY
* MINISTRY OF HOUSING
* MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY
* MINISTRY OF INFORMATION
* MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
* MINISTRY OF LANDS, SURVEY AND URBAN PLANNING
* MINISTRY OF LGA
* MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND SOLID MINERAL
* MINISTRY OF PUBLIC UTILITIES AND WATER RESOURCES
* MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
* MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
* MINISTRY OF SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT
* MINISTRY OF SPECIAL DUTIES AND JOINT PROJECTS
* MINISTRY OF TRADE AND INVESTMENT
* MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT
* MINISTRY OF WOMEN AFFAIRS
* MINISTRY OF WORKS
* MINISTRY OF YOUTH AND SPORTS DEVELOPMEMT
* OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR
* OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT
* OFFICE OF THE STATE AUDITOR GENERAL
* OPEN SPACES DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
* SERVICE WELFARE BUREAU (SWB) HOS
* SPECIAL SERVICES BUREAU (SSB)
* UMUAHIA CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (UCDA)
* UNICEF-ABIA RUWASSA
In addition to the above, the State Government has already paid subventions to ABSUTH, ABIAPOLY, College of Health and Management Sciences, and commenced payment to Secondary Education Management Board (SEMB) in lieu of senior secondary school teachers.
The ministry of Finance, led by Dr Aham Uko, has worked out the dynamics to actualize the bailout of Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU) with the N400m (Four Hundred Million Naira Only) promised by Governor Ikpeazu next week to help them pay workers who suffered as a result of the forced closure of schools due to COVID-19.
According to the Commissioner for Finance, irregularities were discovered in the payroll of Hospital Management Board (HMB), which has necessitated a review in their modalities of payment to be effected next week.
State pensioners have been fully paid for the month along with other workers, as is the current practice, but this report does not cover those on LGA payroll including workers, LGA pensioners, primary & junior secondary school teachers who are paid by the respective LGAs.
Thank you.
Chief John Okiyi Kalu
Honorable Commissioner for Information, Abia State
09/10/2020
