The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Retd.), has directed the immediate payment of salaries for all state civil servants, including suspended political appointees and pensioners.
This decision comes amid growing concerns over delayed payments, particularly for local government workers who have reportedly not received their wages since February 2025.
The directive was announced just a day after the Rivers State chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) issued a strong warning, threatening to stage mass protests if the outstanding salaries were not paid by the end of March.
The union expressed frustration over the prolonged delays, stating that workers should not bear the brunt of the ongoing political crisis in the state.
During a press briefing in Port Harcourt on Thursday, Rivers NLC Chairman, Alex Agwanwor, urged the state government to address the issue swiftly.
He also called for the implementation of the minimum wage for local government workers, stressing that civil servants are neutral in political matters and should not be caught in the middle of political disputes.
Following these concerns, a statement from the Rivers State Government, signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Ibibia Worika, confirmed that Vice Admiral Ibas had approved the immediate release of funds for March 2025 salaries. The statement read:
“In keeping with the undertaking made to the good people of Rivers State, I am pleased to inform you that the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rted.), has approved the payment of salaries for all civil servants in the Rivers State Civil Service and all public servants of the Rivers State Government, including Pensioners, and all suspended political appointees, for the month of March 2025.
“The Administrator has further directed the Accountant-General to ensure that payment for salaries in March 2025 is remitted without any delay.”
