Abakaliki—Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has approved a ₦150,000 Christmas bonus for all civil servants in the state for the 2025 festive season.
The governor announced the bonus on Sunday during a church service at the Government House Chapel in Abakaliki, saying the gesture reflects his administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare despite reduced revenue inflow to the state over the past year.
Nwifuru also dismissed reports suggesting delays in the construction of the Vincent Agwu Nwankwo Flyover, popularly known as VANCO, describing the project as a major infrastructural landmark of his administration.
“You cannot find any state in Nigeria that is doing such a flyover currently,” the governor said, attributing perceived delays to the technical rigours involved in executing the project.
He criticised what he described as misinformation by “social media contractors,” insisting that the flyover, when completed, would significantly improve the state’s outlook and infrastructure profile.
According to him, the project aligns with his vision of positioning Ebonyi State among states with modern infrastructure and global relevance.
“We are doing it not because we have money, but because we want to leave our signature in the annals of history,” Nwifuru said.
In August, the governor approved a ₦20,000 increase in the state’s minimum wage, raising it to ₦90,000 for public servants. The state government said the adjustment was in line with Nwifuru’s People’s Charter of Needs Agenda and took immediate effect.
President Bola Tinubu had, in July 2024, signed the new National Minimum Wage Act into law, increasing the national minimum wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000. However, several states are yet to fully implement the revised wage structure.
