By Emmanuella Opara | November 11th 2026
KEY POINTS
- Abia State Governor Alex Otti has approved a 25 per cent implementation of the Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS) for eligible legislative workers.
- The new salary arrangement will take effect in January 2027.
- Beneficiaries include eligible employees of the Abia State House of Assembly and the House of Assembly Service Commission.
- The state government says Abia is the first state in the South-East to adopt the salary structure.
MAIN STORY
Abia State Governor Alex Otti has approved a 25 per cent implementation of the Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure for eligible employees of the state House of Assembly and the House of Assembly Service Commission, with implementation scheduled to begin in January 2027.
The approval was announced in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ukoha Ukoha, following recommendations submitted by a committee set up to examine the implementation of the salary structure.
According to the state government, the decision makes Abia the first state in the South-East to adopt the Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure, known as CONLESS, for parliamentary workers.
CONLESS is a specialised remuneration framework for employees of legislative institutions, including the National Assembly, state Houses of Assembly and their respective service commissions.
Its implementation is intended to address salary and welfare concerns among parliamentary workers and improve their conditions of service.
The government noted that the salary structure had remained unimplemented in several states despite sustained demands by legislative employees for improved remuneration and welfare packages.
With the approval, eligible workers in the Abia State House of Assembly and the Assembly Service Commission are expected to begin receiving salaries under the new arrangement from January 2027.
The administration said the decision was part of its commitment to workers’ welfare, fairness and the strengthening of democratic institutions.
It added that it would continue to pursue measures aimed at improving working conditions for public servants and supporting government institutions to deliver their responsibilities.
THE ISSUES
The approval addresses remuneration concerns among legislative workers in Abia State, particularly as public sector employees face rising living costs.
However, the 25 per cent implementation of CONLESS does not necessarily mean every beneficiary will receive a uniform 25 per cent increase in take-home pay. The actual financial impact will depend on the applicable salary structure and individual entitlements.
The government has also not disclosed the number of workers expected to benefit, the detailed salary breakdown or the total financial commitment required to implement the arrangement.
These details will be important in assessing the scale of the intervention and its implications for the state’s recurrent expenditure.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
“The implementation of CONLESS had remained outstanding in several states across the federation despite sustained demands by legislative workers for improved salaries and welfare packages.”
Abia State Government statement.
WHAT’S NEXT
The implementation is scheduled to commence in January 2027. Further details on the salary structure, eligibility requirements and financial implications are expected to clarify how the arrangement will apply to affected employees.
BOTTOM LINE
Otti’s approval introduces a new remuneration framework for eligible legislative workers in Abia State, with the government positioning the move as part of its broader public service welfare programme. The actual benefits will become clearer when implementation begins and details of the salary structure are made available.
