UMUAHIA — The Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy and Development (FENRAD) has urged Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, to extend the salary improvement approved for legislative workers to other categories of public servants, including teachers, healthcare professionals and local government employees.

The call followed the governor’s approval of a 25 per cent implementation of the Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS) for eligible workers of the Abia State House of Assembly and the Assembly Service Commission.

The new salary structure, which takes effect from January 2027, reportedly makes Abia the first state in the South-East to adopt CONLESS for parliamentary workers.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Njoku Ukoha, disclosed the approval in a statement on Wednesday, saying it followed recommendations by a committee set up to work out the implementation of the salary structure.

CONLESS is the approved remuneration framework for legislative workers in the National Assembly, state Houses of Assembly and their respective service commissions. Its implementation has remained outstanding in several states despite demands by parliamentary workers.

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Reacting in a statement on Wednesday, FENRAD’s Executive Director, Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, commended Otti for the approval, describing it as a step towards improving workers’ welfare, addressing remuneration disparities and strengthening legislative administration.

He, however, urged the state government to adopt an inclusive approach to workers’ welfare by extending comparable salary improvement measures to other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

According to him, teachers, healthcare workers, local government employees, administrative personnel and other public servants also deserve improved remuneration, decent working conditions and institutional support.

While acknowledging the distinct remuneration framework for legislative workers, Nwafor said its implementation should not exclude other categories of public servants from government efforts to improve their welfare.

FENRAD also called for transparent implementation of the approved 25 per cent adjustment from January 2027, adequate budgetary provisions, periodic salary reviews and regular engagement with organised labour and civil society groups.

The organisation said good governance should be measured not only by infrastructure development and policy announcements but also by the extent to which government decisions improve workers’ living conditions, dignity and economic security. (Vanguard)