Amidst apprehension over the dwindling fortunes in the economy and the concerns raised over the shortfall in the oil revenue for the month, workers and retirees in Akwa Ibom State have started receiving their March 2021 salaries and pensions.

Governor Udom Emmanuel defied every known economic postulation by paying the salaries and pensions of all categories of workers in the state, despite fears of uncertainty in the air for weeks.

Our investigations reveal that the financial ingenuity of the Governor was brought to bear as workers in the state smiled to the bank with alerts on their phones, as Government kept its part of the bargain in rewarding them for their efforts.

Concerns had been raised on the shortage of revenue accruable to the state following the impact of the December Force Marjorie on Exxon Mobil, fuelling speculations that the state may owe salaries for the month of March 2021.

Some cynics projected that with the revenue fall, it might be impossible for the state Government to keep its pact with workers for the next two months, but through prudence and efficiency in management, Governor Emmanuel has been able to pay the workers and retirees their entitlements.

Akwa Ibom was one of the first states to embrace the current 30,000 naira minimum wage regime in December 2019, and has not owed the salaries of workers since the advent of the Udom Emmanuel administration in 2015.

Congrats to the benefactors