Kebbi NLC Defends Gov Idris Workers Welfare Record, Rejects Malami’s Claim

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Kebbi State Council, has defended the workers’ welfare record of the administration of Governor Nasir Idris, saying the government has demonstrated sustained commitment to the welfare and conditions of service of workers in the state.

The State NLC Chairman, Alhaji Murtala Usman, stated this on Monday in Birnin Kebbi while briefing journalists in reaction to the Independence Day address by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate, Abubakar Malami (SAN).

Usman acknowledged the commitments contained in Malami’s address, particularly his proposals on minimum wage, promotions, pensions and gratuities, transportation, healthcare, housing, retirement age and workers’ participation in governance.

He, however, rejected what he described as sweeping allegations suggesting that Kebbi workers were generally suffering because the state government had failed to pay pensions, implement promotions or unlawfully deduct workers’ salaries.

The NLC chairman said trade unionism was founded on facts, evidence, negotiation, collective action where necessary and institutional engagement, rather than unverified political claims.

“Trade unionism is not conducted through rumour. It is conducted through evidence, negotiation, collective action where necessary, and institutional engagement,” he said.

Usman said the NLC had maintained continuous engagement with the Kebbi State Government since Governor Nasir Idris assumed office in 2023 on issues affecting workers and their conditions of service.

According to him, the engagement had been conducted through collective bargaining, social dialogue, consultation and negotiated settlement of industrial disputes.

He explained that the union had consistently presented workers’ demands to the government, with several issues already addressed, while others remained subjects of ongoing discussion and negotiation.

The NLC chairman said the state government had approved and implemented a minimum wage of N75,000, which he noted was above the then N70,000 national minimum wage benchmark.

He described the implementation as a significant response to workers’ demands but stressed that it did not mean the struggle for improved welfare, purchasing power and better conditions of service had ended.

“With inflation and the rising cost of living, the NLC will continue to demand further improvements in workers’ purchasing power and conditions of service,” he said.

NLC Questions N110,000 Minimum Wage Promise

Usman also acknowledged Malami’s proposal to pay workers a minimum wage of N110,000 if elected governor in 2027.

He, however, said such political promises should be assessed against their cost, funding arrangements, sustainability, implementation mechanisms and timelines.

“Announcing a higher figure during an election campaign is easy. But the real test is the capacity and willingness to negotiate, fund, implement and sustain such commitments when in government,” Usman said.

He maintained that workers deserved policies that could be realistically implemented and sustained, rather than promises based solely on attractive figures and campaign rhetoric.

NLC Lists Govt Workers’ Welfare Interventions

The NLC chairman listed several interventions by the present administration, including the completion and equipping of the state Secretariat, implementation of the N75,000 minimum wage, and regular payment of salaries, pensions and gratuities.

He also cited the payment of responsibility allowances to primary school teachers, the recruitment of 2,568 health workers and the employment of 2,000 qualified teachers as measures taken by the administration to strengthen the state workforce.

Usman further said the government had extended the retirement age of teachers, medical doctors and veterinary doctors from 60 to 65 years, while increasing the period of service from 35 to 40 years.

He said the administration had also invested substantially in the health sector through the renovation and revitalisation of general hospitals and primary healthcare centres, recruitment of additional health personnel and the absorption of GAVI personnel into the state payroll.

Other interventions, according to him, included road construction and rehabilitation, provision of transport buses and subsidised transportation, as well as the annual distribution of grains and agricultural inputs to workers.

Judiciary, Education Also Highlighted

Usman cited improvements in the judiciary, including better conditions of service and the provision and rehabilitation of judicial infrastructure.

In the education sector, he said the government had rehabilitated 320 junior and senior secondary schools, constructed 30 new junior secondary schools and 18 senior secondary schools, while more than 2,000 desktop computers had been supplied to 100 schools.

He added that the administration had implemented the new minimum wage structure for staff of the Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero (KSUSTA), and the Kebbi State Polytechnic, including consequential salary adjustments for KSUSTA staff.

‘Workers Challenges Remain’

The NLC chairman, however, emphasised that the interventions recorded by the administration did not eliminate the legitimate demands of workers.

He said the union remained concerned about inflation, declining purchasing power, promotions, allowances, career progression, pensions, gratuities and other conditions of service.

“We are not blind to the challenges confronting workers. We know that the purchasing power of workers has been weakened by inflation and the rising cost of living,” he said.

Usman reiterated the NLC’s independence and non-partisan position, stressing that the union would neither become an appendage of government nor an instrument of political opposition.

He said the union would continue to negotiate with government, commend positive interventions, demand improvements where necessary, challenge government whenever workers’ rights were infringed, and mobilise workers lawfully whenever collective action became necessary.

NLC Challenges Political Actors

The NLC chairman urged Malami and other political actors in the state to base their campaigns on verifiable facts and programmes that could be realistically implemented for the benefit of workers and the wider society.

“If there are genuine cases of workers whose salaries have been unlawfully deducted, whose promotions have not been implemented, or whose pensions and gratuities remain outstanding, let the evidence be presented,” he said.

He assured that the NLC was ready to examine and pursue genuine grievances through established collective-bargaining and grievance-resolution mechanisms.

Usman also urged political actors to avoid using workers’ welfare as an instrument of partisan political manipulation.

He said workers were entitled to accurate information, fair treatment, decent work, fair remuneration, career progression, social protection, security of employment and timely payment of legitimate entitlements.

“Let the political contest be about who can deliver better conditions of service, not about who can make the loudest allegation. Let candidates present implementable programmes, not merely attractive promises. Let workers judge the record, policies and capacity to implement them,” the NLC chairman said.

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