Enugu Stated Governor, Peter Mbah, took a significant step toward enhancing workers’ welfare by inaugurating a dedicated committee on Thursday to facilitate the implementation of the New National Minimum Wage across the state.
According to The PUNCH, this crucial committee is led by Kenneth Ugwu, the Head of Service, with Sandra George from the Office of the Secretary to the State Government acting as the committee’s Secretary.
Mbah, emphasizing the urgency of the task, mandated the committee to deliver its report within a month.
The committee is composed of key state officials, including the Commissioner of Finance and Economic Development, Dr. Nathaniel Uramah, the Commissioner for Labour and Employment; Chika Ugwuoke, and the Accountant-General of Enugu State, Mr. Anthony Okenwa.
To ensure that the committee’s recommendations are well-rounded and inclusive, labour representatives have also been included.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Enugu State, Fabian Nwigbo, and the Chairman of the Trade Union Congress in the state, Benedict Asogwa, will serve as the voices of the workforce within the committee.
The Governor urged the committee to engage extensively with all relevant stakeholders, particularly within the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.
This approach, he stressed, is essential for ensuring that the final report has the full backing and ownership of the state’s workforce.
In his address, Mbah underscored his administration’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for workers, recognizing them as the backbone of the state’s ambitious development goals.
“We have set very ambitious targets for ourselves, and we know that the only thing between us and achieving these targets will be the human resources because as great as our visions and dreams might be, it would be impossible to do anything if we do not have a motivated workforce,” Mbah stated.
He highlighted that his administration has been proactive in addressing workers’ needs, even before the current minimum wage discussions, by introducing wage awards.
This, he noted, was a demonstration of his commitment to continually improving workers’ conditions until the new minimum wage is fully implemented.
“The constitution of this committee for the implementation of the new national minimum wage is such an important exercise, and we have carefully selected its members. We believe that you will be able to discharge your duties creditably,” he concluded, expressing confidence in the committee’s ability to effectively execute its mandate.
