Civil servants in Edo State have praised Governor Monday Okpebholo for the payment of the 13th-month salary, describing the gesture as timely and a boost to workers’ morale.
A visit by journalists to the Edo State Secretariat and several ministries, including Information and Strategy; Lands and Housing; Environment and Sustainability; and Education, Iyaro, revealed widespread appreciation among workers who confirmed receipt of the payment.
Speaking at the Ministry of Information and Strategy, the Director of Orientation, Mrs. Rose Imonikhe, said the payment came as a pleasant surprise.
“I woke up this morning to the alert for the 13th-month salary. I’m grateful to the governor. You can see me smiling, and that is how other officers in the Edo State civil service are smiling,” she said.
According to her, the payment would help ease financial pressure on workers, especially during the festive season and the beginning of the new year.
“Most people would have spent their December salaries. This will help them start the new year with something in their pockets. Those with school fees or rent to pay will benefit greatly,” she added.
Mrs. Imonikhe also called on civil servants to reciprocate the gesture with renewed commitment to duty, noting that the civil service remains critical to the delivery of democratic dividends.
Similar reactions were recorded at the Ministry of Lands and Housing, where civil servants including Beatrice Ihulde, Precious Abu, Bridget Igbinovia and Onyinyechi Florence described the payment as a clear demonstration of the government’s concern for workers’ welfare.
At the Ministry of Environment and Sustainability, the Director of Administration, Mrs. Egbe Jocy, said the initiative would further motivate workers and improve productivity across the service.
Many civil servants agreed that the payment has brought relief and strengthened confidence in the state government’s people-centred approach to governance.
Governor Okpebholo had, shortly after assuming office in November 2024, approved the implementation of the 13th-month salary for Edo State civil servants.