May Day Workers Zamfara N7,000 NLC Gov

Zamfara NLC pleads for minimum wage increase as workers receive as low as N7,000 monthly salary, urging Governor Lawal to act.

The Zamfara State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has passionately appealed to Governor Dauda Lawal to implement a minimum wage, highlighting the alarming situation where workers in the state are receiving a monthly salary as low as N7,000, a discrepancy not observed elsewhere in the country.

During the 2024 May Day celebration, the Zamfara State NLC chairperson, Comrade Sani Haliru Kurya, voiced this plea, stressing that the meager income of workers in Zamfara is inadequate, especially given the current economic difficulties nationwide.

Comrade Kurya urged Governor Dauda Lawal to promptly assess the possibility of raising workers' salaries in the state, pointing out critical challenges such as delayed promotions, lack of minimum wage implementation for local government staff, and mandatory worker retirements, among other issues. "We want the Governor to reconsider," he urged.

Expressing dismay, he noted, "Local government workers in Zamfara receive only N7,000 monthly, a situation unparalleled in Nigeria."

Despite economic challenges, the Zamfara NLC chairperson lauded Governor Dauda Lawal's commitment to ongoing development projects in the state and his attention to civil servants.

Similarly, the Zamfara State Trade Union Congress (TUC) chairman, Comrade Saidu Mudi, emphasized the need for leaders to address issues affecting the country. He urged the state Governor to introduce wage allowances for workers, citing the longstanding problems of non-implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage and absence of wage allowances in the state.

Governor Dauda Lawal assured workers that they are valued partners in progress, pledging to explore more avenues to enhance their living standards in the state. Addressing concerns about compulsory retirements, he reassured workers that their pensions and gratuities are disbursed on time.

Promising surprises for workers in the state, Governor Dauda Lawal emphasized his commitment to fulfilling his promises and improving the welfare of employees.