Abia Approves Adjusted Minimum Wage for Teachers, SEMB Staff

The Abia State Government has approved and commenced the payment of the adjusted minimum wage to teachers and staff of the State Education Management Board (SEMB), as part of ongoing efforts to improve workers’ welfare in the education sector.

The approval was disclosed in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Basic and Secondary Education, Kenechukwu Nwosu, who confirmed that the new wage adjustment has taken effect and is already being reflected in the salaries of affected workers. According to the state government, the payment covers teachers in public primary and secondary schools as well as administrative staff of SEMB. The move is aimed at aligning the state’s salary structure with the nationally approved minimum wage and addressing longstanding concerns over remuneration in the education sector. Nwosu explained that the decision underscores the commitment of Governor Alex Otti’s administration to prioritising education and ensuring improved welfare for teachers, whom he described as critical to the state’s human capital development. He added that the government is also working to process outstanding entitlements, including leave allowances, while efforts are ongoing to resolve salary issues affecting teachers whose service extensions were previously disrupted due to administrative challenges. The implementation of the adjusted minimum wage follows engagements between the Abia State Government and organised labour, with education workers among the first set of civil servants to benefit from the new pay structure.