Akwa Ibom State governor, Umo Eno has authorised the payment of N80, 000 minimum wage to civil servants effective November, 2024.
This was contained in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, CPS, Mr Ekerete Udoh in Uyo, yesterday.
Udoh said the authorisation of the payment was sequel to the submission of the Minimum Wage/Personnel Verification by the Head of Service, Mr Effiong Essien to the governor on Monday.
The CPS said the payment would be made to only the 45, 000 personnel that had been duly verified.
“Governor Eno has authorised the commencement of the payment of the new minimum wage of N80, 000 to 45, 000 duly verified public service workers, beginning at the end of this month but backdated to November, 2024,” Udoh said.
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the implementation committee on the minimum wage was set up by the governor in December 2024 to ensure smooth payment. NAN
…Assembly Initiates Measures To Combat Malnutrition
Akwa Ibom State House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security has taken its campaign on combating malnutrition to the 31 local government areas.
Chairman of the committee, Mr Moses Essien, said yesterday that the committee would work in collaboration with stakeholders and development partners toward ensuring good nutrition, especially for children and adolescents.
Essien urged the 31 Legislative Councils to domesticate nutrition and food security committees in their councils.
The lawmaker, representing Ibiono Ibom State Constituency, said there is the need for stakeholders to get involved in the campaign to eradicate malnutrition.
He said since the inauguration of the committee by the National Assembly and Akwa Ibom Assembly, there is the need to have the same committee at the Local Government Legislative Councils.
According to him, the National Demographic Health Survey 2023/2024 statistics shows that 24.1 percent of children in the state are stunted and 22.6 percent are underweight.
“These indicators show the level of malnutrition in the state. This calls for serious concern among critical stakeholders.
“This is because malnutrition has severe consequences on the child’s health, leading to infant mortality.
“It was the resolution of the National Assembly that combating malnutrition and food insecurity cannot be left in the hands of the executive alone, hence the establishment of the National Legislative Network on Nutrition and Food Security.
“It is our belief that each Legislative Council must also domesticate nutrition and food security committees at the third tier of government.
“Leaders of the Local Government Legislative Councils should appoint chairmen and members of the committees and ensure their inauguration,” Essien said.
He said a workshop would soon be organised, in collaboration with some development partners to enhance capacity building for members of the committee.
In a remark, the state Nutrition Officer, Dr Idongesit Umo, urged the committee to ensure that the budgeted funds for nutrition and food security are released on time for the implementation of activities to combat malnutrition.
Umoh said combating malnutrition in the state and country should be everybody’s business and not left for the executive arm alone.
“When we talk of nutrition, we look at the most vulnerable, we look at children under five and pregnant women and adolescents.
“I’m sure, if we do this, the next time the demographic survey would be released, the issue of Akwa Ibom having 24.1 percent stunted and 22.6 percent in terms of children who are under weight will change for the better,” Umoh said.
Speaking on behalf of the council chairmen, the Chairman of Ika Local Government Area, promised that they would partner the committee to combat the scourge in the state.
Nwoko urged everyone to return to agriculture, saying the root cause of malnutrition is the failure of the people to get serious with agriculture. NAN
