The Imo State Government, through the Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the Governor, Mr. Oguwike Nwachuku, has defended its recent decision to increase the minimum wage for civil servants to N104,000.
Speaking on Channels TV’s The Morning Brief on Thursday, Nwachuku assured the public and the workforce that the new wage is not a populist move but a sustainable one, backed by significant improvements in the state’s financial standing.
The announcement by Governor Hope Uzodimma on Tuesday, sparked a mix of excitement and skepticism, with many questioning the state’s ability to maintain the high wage figure compared to other states.
However, Nwachuku used the national platform to address these concerns head-on, citing a massive growth in the state’s Internally Generated Revenue as the primary enabler.
“The government of Hope Uzodimma has invested in building a digital economy and a new template of development.
“When this government came on board, the IGR was less than N400 million, but today, we are talking about an IGR of about N3bn to N4bn. This is a very clear pointer that the government is on the right track financially.
“This revenue growth is a direct result of the administration’s efforts to block financial leakages, digitise government processes, and create a conducive environment for both local and foreign investment,” Nwachuku stated during the interview.
The CPS also highlighted the government’s visible projects in infrastructure, such as the construction of 46 roads across the state, as evidence of its fiscal prudence and long-term developmental agenda.
He stressed that the wage increase was a thoughtful decision made after careful consideration of the state’s financial capacity and was not a political gamble ahead of an election.
In response to questions about the timing of the payment, Nwachuku clarified that “the new wage structure would be implemented with the August 2025 salaries, while consequential adjustments for other cadres of the civil service will be implemented in subsequent months.”
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