The Anambra State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have commended the state governor, Chukwuma Charles Soludo, for implementing a new minimum wage of N82,000 for workers.
They also appreciated the governor for approving a N10,000 non-taxable award for pensioners.
The unions’ commendation was contained in an address read by the state chairman of the NLC, Comrade Humphrey Chukwuemeka Nwafor, during the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration held at Dr Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka, on Thursday.
Organised labour sincerely appreciates the remarkable strides of the administration of Prof Soludo. From inception, his visionary leadership towards transforming Anambra into a hub of economic and infrastructural excellence has been evident.
This vision is clearly reflected in the extensive road construction projects across the state, prudent economic management, and the achievement of major development milestones without resorting to borrowing, including notable infrastructure projects such as the Ekwulobia Flyover, Awka Fun City, and the completion of the Anambra Government House and Lodge.
Of special note for today’s celebration is the prompt and comprehensive implementation of the 2024 minimum wage. While the national benchmark was set at N70,000, Mr Governor graciously approved N82,000, the highest in the South East, and implemented it seamlessly across all sectors without industrial unrest. This is a true testament to exemplary leadership, and we deeply commend it.
While calling on all leaders, both in government and in the private sector, to prioritise the welfare of workers, especially in the areas of entitlements, empowerment, and fair remuneration, Nwafor appealed to the governor to urgently address other pressing issues that require immediate attention. These include the contributory pension scheme (CPS), outstanding allowances for non-teaching staff in ASUBEB, the building of a Labour House, the appointment of a special adviser on labour matters, low-cost housing for workers, mass recruitment, retirement age policy, water board restructuring, promotion, training and re-training of workers, utility vehicles for labour centres, and the payment of outstanding gratuities and entitlements to retirees of the Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS), which have been pending since 2017, among others.
Governor Soludo, in his speech, further assured that his administration will continue to work cooperatively with the labour unions to ensure that the welfare of Anambra workers is always taken care of.
Tribune Online gathered that the celebration, themed Reclaiming Civic Space Amidst Economic Hardship, also featured the presentation of the Worker’s Beacon of Hope award to the governor.
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