By Abdullahi Inuwa
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Kebbi State Council, has rejected claims that workers in the state are being neglected, insisting that Governor Nasir Idris’ administration has made significant strides in workers’ welfare and conditions of service.
NLC Chairman, Comrade Murtala Usman, stated this on Monday while briefing journalists on the Independence Day address by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate, Abubakar Malami.
Usman acknowledged the promises contained in Malami’s address, particularly those relating to minimum wage, promotions, pensions and gratuities, transportation, healthcare, housing, retirement age and workers’ participation in governance.
However, he challenged what he described as sweeping allegations that Kebbi workers were suffering because the government had failed to pay pensions, implement promotions or unlawfully deduct workers’ salaries.
According to the NLC chairman, the union has maintained regular engagement with the Kebbi State Government since Governor Idris assumed office in 2023, using collective bargaining, consultation, social dialogue and negotiation to address workers’ concerns.
He said several demands presented by the union had been addressed, while others remained under discussion.
Usman pointed to the implementation of a ₦75,000 minimum wage, which he said was above the then ₦70,000 national minimum wage benchmark, as one of the administration’s major interventions.
He also reacted to Malami’s pledge to increase the state minimum wage to ₦110,000 if elected governor in 2027.
The NLC chairman said workers welcomed policies capable of improving their welfare but cautioned that campaign promises should be tested against their financial implications, funding sources, sustainability, implementation mechanisms and timelines.
“Workers deserve policies that can be realistically implemented and sustained,” he said, stressing that attractive figures alone should not determine the credibility of a workers’ welfare programme.
Defending the Idris administration’s record, Usman listed the completion and equipping of the state Secretariat, regular payment of salaries, pensions and gratuities, and implementation of the ₦75,000 minimum wage among measures undertaken by the government.
He further cited the payment of responsibility allowances to primary school teachers, recruitment of 2,568 health workers and employment of 2,000 qualified teachers as evidence of efforts to strengthen the state workforce.
The NLC chairman also highlighted the extension of the retirement age for teachers, medical doctors and veterinary doctors from 60 to 65 years, alongside an increase in the period of service from 35 to 40 years.
Usman said the union would continue to engage whichever government was in power to protect workers’ interests, while insisting that claims about workers’ welfare should reflect the realities on the ground.
The NLC’s position effectively places the labour union at the centre of the debate over workers’ welfare ahead of the 2027 governorship election, as political parties and aspirants begin to unveil their plans for Kebbi workers.
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