Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has received widespread commendation from the state’s labour unions for his administration’s recent implementation of a new minimum wage of ₦82,000 currently the highest in Nigeria’s South-East region. The recognition was made public during the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration held at Dr. Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka on Thursday, May 1.
Speaking on behalf of the state’s workforce, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Anambra Chapter, Comrade Humphrey Nwafor, hailed the governor’s decision as a landmark step in improving workers’ welfare. He also praised the additional approval of a ₦10,000 monthly non-taxable allowance for pensioners.
“The organised labour sincerely appreciates the remarkable strides of Governor Soludo’s administration,” Nwafor said. “His visionary leadership is evident not just in the seamless implementation of the ₦82,000 minimum wage—well above the national benchmark of ₦70,000—but also in the execution of major infrastructure projects without accruing debts.”
He cited several key projects, including the construction of the Ekwulobia Flyover, the Awka Fun City, and the completion of the new Anambra Government House and Lodge, as evidence of the government’s commitment to economic and structural development.
Nwafor, however, used the opportunity to draw attention to a number of outstanding concerns. These include the implementation of the Contributory Pension Scheme, payment of allowances for non-teaching staff under ASUBEB, construction of a Labour House, appointment of a special adviser on labour matters, affordable housing for workers, and long-overdue gratuities—particularly for retirees of the Anambra Broadcasting Service, whose entitlements have been pending since 2017.
In his response, Governor Soludo reaffirmed his commitment to workers’ welfare and disclosed that his administration had cleared seven years of inherited gratuities and pension arrears. He stated that of the ₦14 billion in pension debts owed to retirees, payments for the years 2018 through 2020 have already been made, with plans underway to settle the outstanding for 2021.
“Within the limits of our available resources, we remain determined to enhance the welfare and working environment of our workforce. This is not just a policy choice—it is a moral obligation,” Soludo said, stressing his administration’s principles of fiscal responsibility and transparency.
This year’s May Day celebration, themed “Reclaiming Civic Space Amidst Economic Hardship,” also saw the governor receive a special honour: the ‘Worker’s Beacon of Hope’ award. The accolade was in recognition of his empathy, dedication, and exceptional support for public servants in the state.
The event was attended by representatives from both the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), civil servants, pensioners, and other dignitaries, all of whom hailed the Soludo administration’s policies as progressive and responsive to the needs of the people.
