Rivers state governor Siminalayi Fubara has approved the payment of N85, 000 as the new minimum wage for civil servants in the employment of the Rivers state government.

This is the agreement reached during a closed door meeting presided over by the governor and attended by representatives of organized labour under the auspices of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council in the state, at the government house in Port Harcourt on Friday.

Briefing newsmen after the closed door meeting, the state head of service Dr George Nweake who spoke on behalf of the governor, said it has been approved and payment will start by November. Chairmen of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council and the Nigerian Labour Congress welcome the gesture by the governor.