Uzodimma Approves New Minimum Wages For Imo State Workers And Doctors

Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has approved a new minimum wage of N104,000 for civil servants and N503,000 for doctors in the state.

The announcement was made on Tuesday night at the Government House in Owerri during a meeting with labour union leaders.

The new wage structure comes as a response to the rising cost of living in the country. Civil servants’ pay has been raised from N76,000 to N104,000, doctors from N215,000 to N503,000, while teachers in tertiary institutions will now earn N222,000, up from N119,000.

The governor noted that workers had endured challenges ranging from insecurity and the COVID-19 pandemic to economic hardship and disputes over subsidies and wages. He said that improved pay would boost productivity, strengthen families, and expand the state’s economy.

He pointed to the growth in Internally Generated Revenue, which has increased from N400 million to more than N3 billion monthly, crediting the commitment of civil servants. According to him, federal allocations to the state have also risen from about N5 billion–N7 billion in 2020 to N14 billion, while the debt profile has dropped from over N280 billion to under N100 billion.

Uzodimma recalled that infrastructure across key sectors was in collapse when he took office in 2020, prompting investments in road rehabilitation and security. He also acknowledged that the removal of fuel subsidy raised living costs but described it as a step with long-term benefits for the economy.

The governor announced that on August 27, the state will begin payment of the last tranche of gratuities worth N16 billion to pensioners. He also outlined reforms in the health sector, including new insurance schemes and better-equipped hospitals, and confirmed the state’s participation in the federal project to establish 1,000 businesses in every active INEC ward.

Uzodimma urged labour unions to work closely with government to ensure a healthy relationship, calling on workers to add value and avoid redundancy and unethical practices.