Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has approved a ₦150,000 Christmas bonus for all civil servants in the state ahead of the 2025 festive season.

The announcement was made on Sunday during a church service at the Government House Chapel in Abakaliki. This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Monday Uzor.

According to the statement, Governor Nwifuru said the gesture underscores his administration’s commitment to the welfare of civil servants, despite the state’s dwindling revenue over the past year.

“Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has announced a hundred and fifty thousand naira Christmas bonus to every civil servant in the state,” the statement read.

While addressing the congregation, the governor also debunked rumours suggesting delays in the construction of the Vincent Agwu Nwankwo Flyover, describing the project as one of the most significant infrastructural developments in the state.

“You cannot find any state in Nigeria that is doing such a flyover currently,” Nwifuru said, noting that although the project is complex, it will significantly transform the state’s landscape and enhance its aesthetic appeal upon completion.

He criticised what he described as misleading narratives by social media commentators, stressing that the project is driven by a desire to leave a lasting legacy.

“We are doing it not because we have money. We are doing it because we want to sign our signature in the annals of history,” the governor stated, adding that Ebonyi State aims to gain global recognition for good governance and modern infrastructure.

Recall that in August, Governor Nwifuru approved a ₦20,000 increase in the state’s minimum wage, raising civil servants’ pay to ₦90,000. The adjustment took immediate effect and was implemented under his administration’s ‘People’s Charter of Needs Agenda.’

At the national level, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the new minimum wage bill into law in July 2024, increasing the national minimum wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000 after months of negotiations involving labour unions, the private sector, and government representatives.

However, several states are yet to fully implement the new wage structure.