Category: News

The Executive Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah has approved a minimum wage of N80,000 for civil servants in the state.

In a terse post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle @PNMbah, the governor expressed his appreciation to the workers of the state.

The post reads:

“I have just approved a minimum wage of N80,000 for Enugu workers, effective October 2024.

“We appreciate the hard work and sacrifices of the state’s workforce and will continue to prioritise their welfare in line with our campaign promises.

“Tomorrow is here”.

But providing more details, a government issued statement revealed that the new minimum wage covers all state employees, primary school teachers, and local government workers.

Organised labour has also described the wage as unprecedented, as it was the first time that Enugu workers would be earning above the national minimum wage.

Mbah announced the new minimum wage on Thursday after a meeting with the Enugu State Minimum Wage Implementation Committee headed by the Head of Service, Kenneth Ugwu and labour leaders, including the state’s labour leaders.

Mbah said, “Few weeks ago, I inaugurated a committee with the responsibility to oversee the implementation of the New National Minimum Wage in Enugu State. Today, I’m happy to announce a new minimum wage for workers in Enugu State, reflecting our fidelity to their welfare, in regard of which we have been resolutely committed.

“We have approved the sum of N80,000 as the new minimum wage in Enugu State. This underscores our commitment to bequeathing lasting legacies of improved living conditions.

“Our commitment to improved workers’ welfare runs deep, and is rooted in the firm understanding of the inextricable link between an inspired workforce and the audacious economic targets we had set our sights on.

“We clearly understood that reducing poverty to the barest minimum and achieving an unprecedented economic growth target were contingent on the output of the workforce. Therefore, for us, the best way to acknowledge that labour creates wealth is by ensuring that the workforce, which creates the wealth that oils the wheel of government, is sufficiently motivated.

“We have similarly demonstrated our commitment to workers welfare through the consistent payment of the wage awards, a gesture we had pledged to sustain until a new wage structure took effect.”

Speaking, the Chairman of the Enugu State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Fabian Nwigbo, thanked governor Mbah for always prioritising the welfare of workers, describing the new minimum wage as “a great one for Enugu workers.”

“In the past, when minimum wage is announced, it takes up to one or two years for anything to happen; and when it did, we took anything they gave us as we saw it.  But today, you have even given us something much higher than national minimum wage.

“But I am not totally surprised because when other governors were paying N12,000 wage award, you were paying us N25,000. When others paid for some months and stopped, you continued paying it until the new minium wage as you promised. So, we have enjoyed wage award for 11 months and today you announced the minimum wage which is the first of its kind since my 32 years in service,” said.

Speaking to Government House correspondents, the Chairman of the Enugu State chapter of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Comrade Ben Asogwa, said, “We are so happy. The governor did not just announce ₦80,000 minium wage, but said that it cascades down to even local government workers. He said that he does not want disparity in salary implementation in Enugu State anymore because we all go to the same market.

“This is the first time in history we are seeing the implementation of minimum wage above the approved amount by the federal government. Actually, when we entered into the negotiation, we were afraid because we know quite well that we are not among the states that share in dividends of oil money. We know quite well that we are at the back when it comes to federal allocation, but His Excellency actually surprised us.

“One thing we have seen is that he understands the impact of motivation on productivity. The governor has set a pace and we know that any other person coming after him will have the challenge to meet up with the target set by His Excellency, Governor Peter Mbah.”

On his part, Chairman of the Association of Local Government Workers, ALGON, Enugu State, Hon. Okechukwu Edeh, pledged the commitment of council chairmen to implementing the new minimum wage.

“When you motivate workers, they become more productive. What I am promising on behalf of the Enugu ALGON family is that we are going to cascade the new minimum wage to the local government level.  Implementation begins immediately,” he said.

…To Inaugurate State Inter-Labour Committee

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has unveiled plans to inaugurate a State Inter- Labour Committee, to complement the vision and effort of the ARISE Youth Employment Portal.

He noted that the State Inter-Labour committee will ensure that all companies operating in the state engage indigenous human resources as well as exhibit transparent employment practices.

The Governor announced this during the launching of the Arise Youth Employment Portal at Ibom Hotel And Golf Resort , Uyo.

He stated that the Employment Portal was to fulfil the promise made when he signed a charter with Akwa Ibom youths months back while also providing jobs in line with the United Nations sustainable Development Goals (SDG), on poverty reduction.

He described the portal as a-one- stop site in employment matters, acknowledging that youths of the state are versatile in various skills which must be tapped for proper engagement and urged both the civil service and private sector to explore the portal to its maximum advantage by showcasing employment opportunities for the youths.

“One of the major themes I campaigned on was the urgency in providing gainful employment opportunities for our teeming youths. This is in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on poverty reduction.

“At the Appreciation/Engagement Rally I held about a month ago to honour our youths, I had, while unveiling my Charter with the Youths of Akwa Ibom State, stated that we would set up an Employment portal to harvest employment opportunities for them.

“I had also promised a number of empowerment schemes to appreciate the youths for freely following our leadership and for refusing to participate in the protest planned at that time.

“Today, I am pleased and happy to launch that employment Portal: The Arise Youth Employment Portal, where job opportunities will be segmented according to skill set,” he stated.

Governor Eno explained that the 200 Health /Safety monitors, 3000 personnel for Ibom Watch and other empowerment programmes like the Youths Business Support, ARISE Entrepreneurial Support, Bursary Educational Grants, will be coordinated through the portal.

He thanked the SSA on ICT, Dr Frank Ekpenyong and his team for being painstaking in interpreting the vision of the employment portal which has enabled it to see the light of the day and urged all to embrace the initiative.

Speaking on the operation of the portal, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on ICT, Dr Frank Ekpenyong, said that the portal is designed to open up the labour market and ensure that indigenes of the state are given unfettered access to employment opportunities.

Dr Frank pointed out that the portal will enable the state government identify the skill, expertise and capabilities of it citizenry in the unemployed community and ensure that they are engaged meaningfully.

He added that Civil Service recruitment will be prioritised even as funding and training support will be handled with ease begining with the 5000 youths who will get N50,000 monthly for a year.

Earlier, The Head of Civil Service , Elder Effiong Essien, described the portal as a watershed in the State recruitment process, saying that qualified indigenes of the state will be given a window of opportunity to be recruited into the civil service using advanced technology.

He stated that with the employment portal, the civil service is now well positioned to attract the best brains during its recruitment exercise and thanked the Governor for providing this open process to employment into the service .

On his part, the CEO Hensek Integrated Services, Engr. Uwem Okoko, who represented the private sector, commended the Governor for the launch of the employment portal, describing it as a lofty innovation having come at the peak of the construction season when more hands would be needed to deliver their jobs.

He said that the private sector has engaged more than fifteen thousand youths, adding that the portal has solved the problem of scouting for skilled and unskilled labour for the construction companies.

Highpoint of the occasion was the unveiling of the portal by Governor Umo Eno who was assisted by his Deputy, Senator Akon Eyakenyi.

President Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) have scrapped the Niger Delta Ministry, and the Ministry of Sports Development.

Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, Tuesday, flagged off the construction of Nortra Tractor Assembly Plant and Service Centre, an investment by ODK Group of Denmark, in Enugu city

On the same day, the governor also commissioned the New-Watson Doors Industry established by a Chinese firm at Nachi, Enugu State.

Flagging off the construction of the Nortra Tractors Plant and Service Centre, Governor Mbah noted that it was a significant step to his administration’s vision to grow the state’s economy from $4.4bn to $30bn.

“What we have gathered here to do today is not a mere symbolic act; it is certainly an act that takes us closer to the dream of having at least 1,000 tractors in Enugu State by next year.

“We have always said that Enugu is going to be that premier destination for investors to come. But we realised that, that will not happen just by wishing for it. Which is why what we see here today is Enugu State going that extra mile of making it attractive for investors to invest here. Which is also why we have placed an order for at least 1,000 tractors, which we hope to at least have through this assembly plant.

“It would have been easier for us to place an order for 1,000 tractors. But we did not see the value in that, which is why we are only getting 200 tractors already assembled and imported here. But the remaining 800 will be assembled right here in Enugu State.

“Again, initiatives like what we are doing with Nortra, not only creates opportunities, but will also stimulate our economy. It boosts that economic growth that we are expecting and creates employment for our people,” he said.

Mbah, therefore, promised to seek, identify with and support genuine investors, who want to partner with the state in the onerous journey to a $30bn economy.

“So, we are going to continue to support Nortra to ensure that we provide the basic amenities, the right infrastructure, and also security for your investment to thrive.

Earlier in her address, the Commissioner for Trade, Investment, and Industry, Adaora Chukwu, observed that Enugu was ODK Group’s first investment destination in Africa, adding that the Group’s specialisation and reputation for manufacturing innovative and high-quality agricultural equipment and machineries would scale-up agricultural production in the state.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-Industrialisation, Patrick Ubru, also described the venture as a huge leap for agriculture in the state.

Earlier in their address, the CEO of ODK Group Denmark, Mr. Morten Anderson, and the Managing Director of Nortra Tractors, Mr. Philip Njoku, said that Enugu was chosen as the first entry point into Africa because they “identified Enugu State as a state that is thriving powerfully in terms of innovation, commercialisation and everything you can think of in terms of development.”

Commissioning the New-Watson Doors Industry at Nachi, Mbah that the company was still contemplating as to which state to invest in at the time they met him in 2023 and commended them for believing in what his administration was doing to make Enugu State the preferred destination for investment.

He reiterated his administration’s determination to continue to de-risk investments and patronise investors and businesses in the state.

“We have also created the enabling environment for the investors to thrive. We will be patronising the company, making sure we do not go outside of Enugu State to procure all that we need for our 260 Smart Green Schools, 260 Type 2 Healthcare Centres, and the other massive projects that we can get within the state,” he said.

He, therefore, urged other investors from China and other parts of the world to head to Enugu to invest.

In his remark, the CEO of New-Watson, Chen Shando, thanked Governor Mbah for “the massive support received from the government and the people of Enugu State.”

The Supreme Court has reserved judgment in the suit filed by 16 states challenging the constitutionality of the laws establishing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and two others to a date to be communicated to the parties.

…Issues licenses to Mainpower, Fedikore

In a historic move, the Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission, EERC, Tuesday, assumed full regulatory oversight of the Enugu State electricity market following the lapsing of the transition period for the transfer of regulatory oversight from the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to the state agency.

This development, which makes Enugu the first state to commence the development of a sub-national electricity market in both Nigeria and Africa, also saw the EERC, issue licensees to Mainpower Electricity Distribution Limited,an EEDC subsidiary set up to take over electricity operations of EEDC in Enugu State effective midnight of Wednesday and the first Independent Power Project, IPP, in Enugu State, to Fedikore Limited, to build a power plant with a nameplate capacity of 10MW.

This followed the enactment of the Enugu State Electricity Law, 2023, and the setting up of the EERC, which saw Enugu State emerge in April this year as the first state to be handed the regulatory power over its electricity market by NERC, but with a six-month transition period, which elapsed on Tuesday, thus effectively empowered to now fully exercise the constitutional right to develop its electricity sector across the value chain of generation, transmission, distribution, or retailing services, including Mini-Grid and Off-Grid electrification solutions.

In his address, the Chairman of EERC, Chijioke Okonkwo, described the event as significant “as it marks the beginning of the development of sub-national electricity markets not only in Nigeria, or West Africa, but across the African continent.

“Today completes the six months transition for the transfer of regulatory authority from the national regulator, NERC, to the EERC, as stipulated in Section 230 of the Electricity Act 2023, and the consequential Order of NERC dated 22nd April 2024.

“Today, we now take on the monumental responsibility of regulating and guiding the electricity sector in Enugu State. This assumption of regulatory oversight is not just about the transfer of authority, but represents a shared vision for a more efficient, responsive, and innovative electricity market.

“NERC has laid a strong foundation, and we are confident that EERC will build on that legacy to bring about positive changes for the people of Enugu State and beyond, in line with Enugu’s realities.

“Our mission is clear: to ensure that Enugu has access to reliable, cost effective, and sustainable electricity while promoting fairness and innovation in the sector.

“We are here to enhance the quality of life for all residents, businesses, and stakeholders by creating an efficient regulatory environment that fosters growth and transparency,” Okonkwo stated.

The Chairman commended the Governor Peter Mbah Administration for zero political interference in the affairs of the Commission.

“I must say that we have enjoyed a tremendous level of independence from the state government activities and our own role. We have been established and supported to take off. However, we have also been given the authority and independence to develop the regulations and policies that we have put in place, not minding how they impact on the state government,” he concluded.

Speaking, a Board member of Mainpower Electricity Distribution Ltd, Kester Enwereonu, assured the people of the state a better electricity experience in all ramifications.

“We are not just identifying with EERC as the pacesetter, Mainpower will also want to be the pacesetter. We are assuring you that in the coming weeks, months, and years, and with the regulatory structure that are now tailored to the needs and purposes of the state, we are going to have an improved service to the people of Enugu State,” he said.

On his part, the Founder and MD/CEO of Fedikore Ltd, Dr. Chukwueloka Umeh, described what is happening in Enugu as revolutionary, expressing Fedikore’s joy to partner with EERC.

“The EERC has done a fantastic job in starting this revolution that is about to happen and we are pleased to be a part of it. Fedikore set up last year as the first IPP in Enugu State. We built 4mw plant at 9th Mile to supply power to the Enugu State Water Corporation here in Enugu. So, we are very committed to working with the state, especially given the leadership provided by both the government and the EERC so far. We believe that with the support of EERC, the state and with the partnership with Mainpower, we can do amazing things here to start the industrial revolution that we are talking about for many years. It is possible,” Umeh stated.

Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, today paid a visit to Nibo in Awka South local government area, where he condoled with the families and community over the unfortunate loss of lives in a recent cult rivalry killings.

It will be recalled that yesterday, Sunday, 20 October, 2024, some persons were killed in a suspected cult-related brawl.

Speaking at Eke Market during his routine monitoring of Monday activities across the state, Governor Soludo vowed to fish out the perpetrators of the dastardly act and go against cultism in the state.

While asking the people to go about their lawful duties, the Governor emphasized that no matter where the perpetrators hide, they will be brought out for sanctioning.

He assured the people of their safety and general wellbeing.

Meanwhile, police authorities in the state said they are committed to the ongoing investigation to arrest the masterminds of the killings.

“Anambra State Police Command remains committed to the ongoing investigation and to arrest the perpetrators of the cult-related killings in Nibo yesterday 20/10/2024, which recorded five persons dead and three others seriously injured and currently receiving treatment in a hospital,” the spokesman of the Anambra State Police Command Tochukwu Ikenga said on Monday.

The command also frowned at some deceased relatives for burying evidence, suppressing information, and disrupting the ongoing probe.

In the wake of the incident, the Commissioner of Police in the state Nnaghe Obono Itam led police operatives to the scene for an on-the-spot assessment.

He said that the command had redoubled its efforts to leave no stone unturned in hunting down the assailants.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), has promised a backup or buffer system to ensure that Nigerians won’t be thrown into blackout whenever the national grid collapses.