Otti approves 25 percent salary increase for Abia Assembly workers

Abia State Governor Alex Otti has approved a 25 per cent implementation of the Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS) for eligible workers of the Abia State House of Assembly and the House of Assembly Service Commission.

The increase takes effect from January 2027 and makes Abia the first state in the South-East to adopt the structure for parliamentary workers, according to the state government. The governor's Chief Press Secretary, Ukoha Ukoha, announced the approval in a statement on Wednesday, November 11, 2026.

The statement said the governor acted on recommendations from the Committee on CONLESS, which had examined issues around implementing the structure for legislative staff. "The 25% CONLESS approval was granted by the Governor on the recommendation of the Committee on CONLESS and the implementation takes effect from January 2027," it said.

CONLESS is the pay framework for legislative workers in the National Assembly, state Houses of Assembly and their service commissions. Several states have yet to implement it, despite repeated demands from parliamentary workers, the statement noted.

The state government described the approval as a sign of the administration's commitment to workers' welfare, fairness and the strengthening of democratic institutions. It said the change is expected to improve the pay and welfare of eligible staff and align their salary structure with the one that applies to legislative workers at the federal level.

A civil society group, the Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy and Development (FENRAD), welcomed the decision. Its Executive Director, Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, called it a step towards better welfare and a fairer pay structure, and urged the governor to extend similar improvements to teachers, health workers, local government staff and other public servants.

Nwafor also asked for the 25 per cent adjustment to be implemented transparently from January, with adequate budget provision, regular salary reviews and engagement with organised labour and civil society groups. He said good governance should be measured not only by infrastructure and policy announcements but also by how it treats workers.

Punch reported that the structure is meant to address pay concerns among parliamentary workers and improve their conditions of service. The statement added that the administration remains committed to a good working environment for public servants and to making sure government institutions are adequately supported, and noted that the Otti administration has been pursuing public service reforms that focus on workers' welfare, efficiency and better service delivery.