Gov Emmanuel Pays Workers March Salary Despite Drop In Allocation

Despite the announcement that Akwa Ibom State allocation from the Federation Account will dwindle in March 2021 due to a force majeure earlier declared by Mobil Nigeria Unlimited, which had a negative effect on government’s earnings, Akwa Ibom State Government have paid workers and retirees in the State their March 2021 salaries and pensions.

Governor Udom Emmanuel defied every known economic postulation by paying the salaries and pensions of all categories of workers in the state, despite fears of uncertainty in the air for weeks.

Investigations reveals that the financial ingenuity of the Governor was brought to bear as workers in the state smiled to the bank with alerts on their phones, as the government kept its part of the bargain in rewarding them for their efforts.

Concerns had been raised on the shortage of revenue accruable to the state following the impact of the December Force Majeure on Exxon Mobil, fuelling speculations that the state may owe salaries for the month of March 2021.

Critics of the government projected that with the revenue fall, it might be impossible for the state Government to keep its pact with workers for the next two months, but through prudence and efficiency in management, Governor Emmanuel has been able to pay the workers and retirees their entitlements.

Akwa Ibom was one of the first Nigerian State to endorse and pay the #30,000 minimum wage as agreed with Labour in December 2019 and has been consistent in not owing the salaries of workers since the advent of the Udom Emmanuel administration in 2015.