Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru has announced a N10,000 lunch allowance for each worker on the state’s payroll for the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration. He also reiterated his administration’s commitment to the welfare of civil servants in the state.
Governor Nwifuru made this announcement during the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration held at the Pa Ngele Oruta Township Stadium in Abakaliki, the state capital, on Thursday.
Addressing the workers, Governor Nwifuru stated that the dignity of labour remains a core pillar of his administration. He emphasized the importance of rewarding productivity, innovation, and professionalism within the state’s workforce, and assured that the government would continue to prioritize policies that improve the working conditions of employees across all sectors.
The governor acknowledged the current economic challenges and affirmed his administration’s dedication to ensuring the prompt payment of salaries, clearing pension and gratuities from 1996 to date, and implementing the new national minimum wage. He also announced the introduction of a streamlined retirement system to eliminate bureaucratic obstacles previously faced by civil servants during their retirement.
Governor Nwifuru pledged closer collaboration with labour unions and various stakeholders to ensure that Ebonyi workers continue to benefit from the dividends of democracy.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ebonyi State Chapter, Prof. Ogugua Egwu, acknowledged the invaluable contributions of workers to national development. However, he lamented the poor standard of living of the average worker in Nigeria.
Egwu expressed his appreciation to Governor Nwifuru for prioritizing the interests of workers. He appealed to the governor to review the pensions of retired senior citizens to align with the 2024 new national minimum wage.
The NLC chairman also called for increased attention to workers’ housing needs, expanded transportation services, the payment of outstanding leave allowances, and interventions for the timely payment of salaries to local government staff, especially teachers, in accordance with the new minimum wage.
He thanked the governor for including the financial implications of the consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage in the 2025 budget and appealed for more support for workers at the grassroots level.
A highlight of the event was the public recognition and reward of three outstanding workers in the state.
