Civil servants in Kogi State are celebrating as Governor Usman Ododo has increased the state’s minimum wage to N72,500.

Investors King reported that during the unveiling ceremony of the new minimum wage on Monday, October 7, Governor Ododo announced an immediate salary increase for civil servants in the state.

According to the governor, the wage increase aims to help civil servants in Kogi cope with the economic hardship in the country and support families in the state. The Governor also announced a one-year suspension of the Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) tax.

The Governor promised to allocate state resources equally to all sectors while emphasizing the efforts put in by government officials to filter out ghost workers from the system.

Ododo said, “I can not forget where I came from, I am a man from a humble background who became who I am by the grace of God and will therefore not use my position to oppress anyone but to better the lots of the people.

“You people generously elected me as your governor, and the resources of the state belong to you all, I am just your chief servant and I will ensure that the resources are allocated to all sectors fairly and equitably.

“All you have seen today is the painstaking efforts of the labour leaders and government who conducted staff audit screenings in the previous administration all in a bid to ensure that the right people take what belongs to them as workers and not ghost workers.”

“The new N72,500 minimum wage should take immediate effect, to enable the workers to cope with the current situation in the country.”

Speaking further, the Chairman of the state Minimum Wage Committee, Mr Elijah Evenemi, distanced the latest achievement from political affiliation.

Evenemi appreciated the governor for allowing the committee to operate without interference, which according to him helped them to achieve the goal.

Reacting to the announcement, the Association of Local Government Secretaries of Nigeria, Kogi State Chapter, thanked Governor Ododo for prioritizing the welfare of civil servants in the state.

The association stated that the salary increase would make their work easier, especially considering the current situation in the country, and also pledged their continued support for the governor.

The Federal Government has taken bold steps to end the issue of stagnation in the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), through the appointment of 15 new Assistant Comptrollers General (ACGs), and the promotion of 95 officers to the rank of Comptroller.

The appointments were announced by the Secretary of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire, and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB), Ahmed Ja’afaru, during a decoration ceremony held in Abuja on Friday.

Ja’afaru described the appointments as a historic one, noting that it was the first time in the Immigration Service that such a large number of officers had been promoted.

He recounted how the lack of available vacancies in the service left many officers stagnant in their positions for over ten years.

However, he announced that the current administration has taken steps to address the issue.

Ja’afaru stated, “This is the first time in the NIS that such a large number of officers have been promoted.

Many had remained in their positions for as long as 10 years due to a lack of available vacancies. This issue of stagnation has now been addressed under the current leadership of the Minister of Interior.”

The board secretary gave a breakdown of the promotions and appointments.

According to him, five officers were granted special promotions following their outstanding performance, while one officer bagged a promotion after completing a project that would have incurred substantial costs for the NIS.

Other promotions included 6,697 officers, who were promoted from Assistant Superintendent of Immigration II (ASI2) to ACG, and 7,280 personnel promoted from Immigration Assistant II (IA2) to Inspector of Immigration (II).

Speaking further, Comptroller General of the Immigration Service (CGIS), Kemi Nandap, stated that the 2024 promotion exercise is a mass promotion that reflects the service’s dedication to rewarding excellence and fostering a motivated and capable workforce.

She noted that these officers are prepared to face challenges.

Nandap said, “Stagnation is now a thing of the past in the NIS. This has been made possible by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire, and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) under the leadership of the Honourable Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.”

“The 2024 promotion exercise is historic, with 13,977 personnel promoted. This mass promotion sends a strong message about our dedication to rewarding excellence and fostering a motivated and capable workforce, prepared to meet the challenges of a modern world.”