Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has approved a new remuneration package for eligible employees of the state House of Assembly, with the changes expected to take effect in January 2027.
The approval will see workers benefit from a 25 per cent implementation of the Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS), making Abia the first state in the South-East to introduce the arrangement for its legislative workforce.
The announcement was made on Wednesday by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ukoha Ukoha, who said the decision followed recommendations from a committee that reviewed the proposed salary structure.
The development is expected to improve the earnings of parliamentary employees, who have long sought better pay and improved working conditions.
CONLESS is a dedicated salary framework for employees working in legislative institutions at both federal and state levels, including their administrative service commissions.
With the governor’s approval, qualified employees of the Abia State House of Assembly and its Service Commission are expected to start benefiting from the arrangement at the beginning of 2027.
The state government noted that the salary structure had not been adopted in several parts of the country despite repeated demands from legislative workers for improved welfare.
The latest move is also part of the Otti administration’s broader efforts to improve conditions in the public service and strengthen the institutions responsible for governance.
The government expressed confidence that better remuneration would support workers in carrying out their administrative, technical and other responsibilities more effectively.
However, the announcement did not disclose the number of employees covered by the approval, the specific salary adjustments for different categories of staff or the total cost of the implementation.
Additional details are expected to emerge as the state government prepares for the January 2027 commencement.
