Momoh Umar Momoh, Benin
Edo State Government says it has approved the payment of five months’ salary arrears to the staff of the state-owned Polytechnic, Usen, in Ovia South-West Local Government Area of the State.
The government also approved the payment of N70,000 minimum wage in April 2025 salary to the workers.
The State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, who disclosed this to newsmen in Benin City on Thursday, said the approval of the five months salary arrears to the workers is a significant step in addressing the longstanding salary challenge confronting the staff of the institution.
He said the challenge has disrupted the smooth running of the academic calendar of the institution.
Governor Okpebholo said his administration has taken structural steps to address the salary challenges facing the Polytechnic permanently.
The Governor noted that one of the key reforms includes the centralization of the institution’s salary payment, now handled directly through the State Government’s payroll system.
Okpebholo opined that the reforms would ensure regular salary payments and enhance accountability in the management of the institution’s finances.
“The decision to centralize the salary structure under the State’s direct payroll is part of the present administration’s commitment to repositioning Edo State’s tertiary education sector for greater efficiency and stability,” he said.
It could be recalled that staff of the Polytechnic had earlier raised concerns in October 204 over unpaid salaries, revealing that their last salary, the May 2024 payment, was only received in September 2024.
The workers also lamented that they were excluded from a special salary scheme originally designed to incentivize academic staff, noting that they had not benefitted from the N70,000 minimum wage implemented in the core civil service under the last administration.
