By El-Yakub Dabai, Birnin Kebbi
The Chairman of the Kebbi State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Murtala Usman, has described the proposed increase in workers’ pay to N110,000 promised by the former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, as mere political rhetoric devoid of truth and substance.
Addressing journalists in Birnin Kebbi on Monday, the Chairman stated that the union could not accept sweeping allegations suggesting that Kebbi workers were generally suffering because the state government had failed to pay pensions, implement promotions, unlawfully deducted workers’ salaries or paid poor remuneration.
The NLC Chairman acknowledged Malami’s proposal to pay a minimum wage of N110,000 if elected governor in 2027, but 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.
Usman 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.
The NLC Chairman 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, in addition to performing positively in other sectors.
He therefore 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.
