Through Mr. Oguwike Nwachuku, the governor’s media adviser and chief press secretary, the Imo State government has defended its recent decision to raise the minimum wages for civil servants to N104,000.
Nwachuku reassured the public and workers during his appearance on Channels TV’s The Morning Brief on Thursday that the increased salary is a sustainable policy supported by notable advancements in the state’s financial situation rather than a populist one.
There was a mixture of excitement and skepticism following Governor Hope Uzodimma’s statement on Tuesday, with many people doubting the state’s capacity to sustain the high wage figure in comparison to other states.
Nwachuku, however, took advantage of the national stage to confront these issues head-on, pointing to the state’s enormous increase in internally generated revenue as the main facilitator.
“The Hope Uzodimma administration has made investments to create a digital economy and a new development model.
“The IGR was less than N400 million before this government took office, but now it’s between N3 billion and N4 billion. This is a blatant indication that the government’s financial situation is sound.
“The administration’s efforts to stop financial leaks, digitize government procedures, and create a favorable environment for both local and foreign investment are directly responsible for this revenue growth,” Nwachuku said in the interview.
The CPS also cited the government’s well-known infrastructure initiatives, such building 46 highways throughout the state, as proof of its long-term development goals and sound financial management.
He emphasized that the wage rise was not a political ploy ahead of an election, but rather a well-considered decision that was reached after the state’s financial capacity was carefully examined.
Nwachuku explained 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” in answer to inquiries regarding the payment’s timeliness.
