Enugu pledges cash grants for workers and the poor

Enugu State Government pledges transfer of a 5-month cash grants of between N10,000 and N25,000 for public sector workers.

Governor Ndubuisi Mbah made the pledge after meeting with labour leaders yesterday 15 November 2023 at the Enugu Lion Building.

The transfers represent interim support by the government in lieu of minimum wage.

The state is currently locked in negotiations with the unions on the vexed issue of a new minimum wage.

Mbah promised to accelerate the process to bring workers onboard in the implementation of his policies and programmes.

This is because workers’ welfare and happiness are a priority, to assist government achieve the laudable goals of his administration.

Programme for the Poor

For the poor, Enugu now has 260,000 citizens in its social register, up from the 43,000 Mbah said. According to him, they will shortly also receive cash transfers and other social interventions.

Governor Mbah restated a commitment to achieve “zero per cent poverty headcount index by 2031.”

Enugu budgeted N1.5 billion for social development programmes like water and sanitation in the communities, construction of 260 model primary healthcare centers, (as well as) 260 smart schools with accompanying teachers’ quarters,” he said.

The State currently counts 2.6 million multidimensionally poor people, according to a 2022 National Bureau of Statistics survey. This number represents over 63 percent of the population.

What the governor said.

Governor Mbah took to X, formerly Twitter to state as follows:

“Yesterday in my office, in the presence of labour leaders in the state, I announced further palliatives for our workers, as well as the indigent citizens in our communities.

“My administration has approved the payment of between N10,000 and N25000 to workers, and the increase of our state’s social register enrollment, from 43,000 to 260,000, for cash transfers to the indigent ones.

“The aim is to cushion the hardships occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy on workers and indigent citizens. We believe the cash transfers and other social interventions will, to a great extent, bring succor to workers and vulnerable people in Enugu State.

“The payments will last for five months, starting from next month, December, to April 2024.

“We have created a category of payment whereby primary and secondary school teachers, local government workers and civil servants will receive a flat payment of between N10,000 and N25,000.

“The amount to be received will depend on the category a worker falls into.

“We are also reviewing the minimum wage and hopefully, by the end of April, the committee saddled with that responsibility will present a new minimum wage to us, which we shall then implement.“