Abakaliki, May 2, 2025 – Gov. Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has approved N10,000 lunch allowance to each worker in the state for the 2025 Workers Day celebration.
He announced the gesture on Thursday during the celebration of 2025 Workers’ Day in Abakaliki, the state capital.
Nwifuru used the occasion to reiterate his commitment to the welfare of civil workers in the state.
He said government would continue to prioritize policies that uplift the working conditions of employees across all sectors, while rewarding productivity, innovation and professionalism within the state’s workforce.
The governor said he would ensure prompt payment of salaries, and clearance of pensions and gratuities from 1996 to date as well as ensure the implementation of the new national minimum wage in view of the current harsh economic realities.
He also announced the introduction of a streamlined retirement system designed to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks hitherto faced by the civil servants during their retirement period.
Nwifuru also pledged closer collaboration with labour unions and various stakeholders to ensure continued access to more dividends of democracy by Ebonyi workers.
Prof. Ogugua Egwu, the Chairman of Ebonyi State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), lamented the poor condition of living of average workers in Nigeria.
He commended Governor Nwifuru for always having the interest of the workers at heart, but said the workers were yet to occupy their pride of place in the country.
Egwu appealed to the governor to review the pensions of the senior citizens in the state to reflect the 2024 new national minimum wage.
Prof. Egwu also called for increased attention to provision of shelter for the workers, expanded transportation services, payment of bulk leave allowances, and intervention for prompt payments of salaries to local government staff, especially the teachers, in accordance with the new minimum wage.
He appreciated the Governor for including the cost implications of the consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage in the 2025 budget, and passionately appealed for more support for grassroots workers.
The high point of the event was the public recognition and reward of three identified committed workers in the state, a gesture that added excitement to the celebration.
