The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kebbi State has criticized the state government for allegedly underpaying local government workers following the payment of November salaries under the newly implemented minimum wage structure.
The party’s spokesperson, Alhaji Sani Dododo, disclosed this in a statement issued in Birnin Kebbi on Friday.
According to him, the PDP has been closely monitoring the implementation of the minimum wage since its official announcement in October 2024.
Governor Nasir Idris had earlier declared that a new minimum wage of ₦75,000 would be paid to both state and local government workers, effective from October.
However, Dododo claimed that despite the governor’s declaration, local government workers and teachers across the 21 local government areas of the state received wages far below the agreed amount.
“To our greatest dismay, and after persistent delays, the local governments and teachers’ minimum wage was finally released this month but was grossly far from the approved amount of ₦75,000.
“This development was testified to by several teachers and LG workers from across the 21 LGAs of the state,” Dododo alleged.
He added that several affected workers, including teachers, have confirmed the discrepancy, raising concerns about the disparity between the governor’s promise and the actual payments made.
The PDP spokesperson also questioned why state and local government workers were being paid different minimum wage rates despite the governor’s public declaration.
“We challenge the state government to dispute the fact that despite the agreed minimum wage figure, the state is still paying less than ₦40,000 to almost all categories of staff on Grade Levels 3, 4, and 5,” Dododo said.
He called on the state government to uphold its promise, emphasizing that teachers play a critical role in shaping the future of society.
NULGE Responds, Urges Workers to Lodge Complaints
Responding to the issue, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Alhaji Faruk Abubakar-Sadiq, acknowledged the grievances of affected workers.
He advised employees with complaints of underpayment or omission to report their issues formally.
“Any staff with complaints regarding omission or underpayment should lodge his/her complaints with the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs through their respective Directors of Finance and Supply.
“These complaints will be forwarded to the ministry for necessary action,” the chairman assured.
While acknowledging the challenges, the NULGE chairman commended Governor Nasir Idris for his prompt approval and implementation of the new minimum wage for state and local government employees.
He described it as a sign of the governor’s commitment to improving workers’ welfare.
Abubakar-Sadiq assured local government employees, including teachers and medical health workers, that their concerns would be addressed, as the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs had pledged to resolve legitimate complaints.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria have also backed the call for transparency and fairness in the payment process.