The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kebbi State has criticized the state government for allegedly underpaying local civil servants following the November payment of salaries under the newly implemented minimum wage scheme.
The party’s spokesperson, Alhaji Sani Dododo, disclosed this in a statement published in Birnin Kebbi newspaper on Friday.
He said the PDP has been closely monitoring the implementation of the minimum wage since its official announcement in October 2024.
Governor Nasir Idris had previously announced that a new minimum wage of ₦75,000 will be paid to both state and local government employees from October.
Mr. Dododo, however, claimed that despite the governor’s declaration, the wages received by local civil servants and teachers in the 21 local government areas of the state were far below the agreed amount.
“Our biggest disappointment is that after repeated delays, the minimum wage for local governments and teachers was finally announced this month, but it was far from the approved amount of ₦5,000.
“This development was witnessed by several teachers and LG officials from 21 local governments in the state,” Dododo claimed.
He added that several affected workers, including teachers, have acknowledged this discrepancy, raising concerns about the disconnect between the governor’s promise and what was actually paid.
The PDP spokesperson also questioned why state and local government employees are being paid different minimum wages despite the governor’s announcement.
“We urge the state government to challenge the fact that despite the agreed minimum wage figures, the state is still paying less than ₦40,000 to almost all categories of staff at grade levels 3, 4 and 5. I ask for it,” Dododo said.
He called on the state government to keep its promise, stressing that teachers play an important role in shaping the future of society.
NULGE responds, urges workers to file complaints
Reacting to the issue, the state chairman of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Alhaji Faruq Abubakar Sadiku, acknowledged the grievances of the affected workers.
He advised employees with complaints of underpayment or omissions to formally report the issue.
“Officials who have complaints about missed payments or underpayments should lodge a complaint with the Ministry of Local Government and Mayors through their respective Directors of Finance and Supply.
“These complaints will be forwarded to the ministry for necessary action,” the chairman clarified.
While acknowledging the challenges, the NULGE Chairman commended Governor Nasir Idris for the swift approval and implementation of the new minimum wage for state and local government employees.
He described this as an expression of the governor’s commitment to improving the welfare of workers.
Mr Abubakar-Sadiku assured local government officials, including teachers and health workers, that their concerns would be addressed as the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy promised to resolve legitimate grievances.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria also support calls for transparency and fairness in the payment process.
