Kebbi NLC Tackles Malami, Says Idris Done Well For Workers
From Khadijat Saidu, Birnin Kebbi
The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Kebbi State Council, has tackled the African Democratic Congress, ADC, governorship candidate, Abubakar Malami, SAN, over his claims on workers’ welfare, insisting that Governor Nasir Idris has done well for workers in the state.
The State Chairman of the NLC, Alhaji Murtala Usman, stated this on Monday in Birnin Kebbi while reacting to Malami’s Independence Day address.
Usman said while the NLC acknowledged the proposals contained in Malami’s address on minimum wage, promotions, pensions, healthcare and workers’ participation in governance, it could not accept sweeping allegations that workers in the state were suffering due to non-payment of pensions, non-implementation of promotions and unlawful deduction of salaries.
He said trade unionism was founded on facts, evidence and institutional engagement, not rumour or unverified political claims.
According to him, the NLC has maintained continuous engagement with the present administration since 2023 through collective bargaining, social dialogue and negotiated settlement of industrial disputes.
The NLC chairman said the engagement had yielded several results, including the approval and implementation of N75,000 minimum wage, which was above the then N70,000 national benchmark, regular payment of salaries, pensions and gratuities, and completion and equipping of the State Secretariat.
Other interventions, he listed, include payment of responsibility allowance to primary school teachers, recruitment of 2,568 health workers and 2,000 qualified teachers, extension of retirement age for teachers, medical and veterinary doctors from 60 to 65 years and years of service from 35 to 40 years.
He also cited investment in the health sector through renovation of general hospitals and primary healthcare centres, absorption of GAVI staff into the state payroll, road construction, provision of buses and subsidised transport, annual distribution of grains and farm inputs to workers, and improved welfare for judiciary workers.
In the education sector, Usman said the government rehabilitated 320 junior and senior secondary schools, constructed 30 new junior and 18 senior secondary schools, supplied over 2,000 computers to 100 schools, and implemented new minimum wage structure for staff of Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero and Kebbi State Polytechnic.
He however noted that the interventions did not mean workers’ challenges had ended, stressing that issues of inflation, declining purchasing power, promotions, allowances and career progression remained legitimate concerns of the union.
On Malami’s promise to pay N110,000 minimum wage if elected in 2027, the NLC chairman said such promises should be assessed based on cost, funding, sustainability and implementation plan, adding that announcing higher figures during campaign was easy but sustaining it was the real test.
Usman reiterated that the NLC remained independent and non-partisan, stressing that it would continue to commend government where necessary, demand improvements, and challenge any infringement on workers’ rights.
He urged political actors to base their campaigns on verifiable facts and implementable programmes rather than using workers’ welfare for political manipulation.