Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has dismissed allegations by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Kaduna State Chapter, that his administration has failed to implement the national minimum wage.
The NLC, in a statement signed by its Secretary, Gado Hussaini Titus, dated November 28, 2024, had accused the state government of neglecting the N72,000 minimum wage implementation.
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However, a rebuttal issued on Sunday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Malam Ibraheem Musa, labeled the accusation as a “misrepresentation.” He argued that it was unfair to lump Kaduna State with others alleged to have defaulted.
“The least paid worker in Kaduna State received N72,000 as gross salary in the month of November,” the statement read.
Musa emphasized that Governor Sani has fully complied with the National Minimum Wage Law. “His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, has adhered to both the spirit and letter of the law by paying the lowest paid civil servant N72,000 last month,” he said.
Addressing the NLC’s concerns, Musa clarified that the labor body was focusing on the issue of consequential adjustments, which he said differs from minimum wage implementation.
He explained the state’s financial realities, stating, “Kaduna State receives an average of ₦8 billion monthly from the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and generates around ₦4 billion in Internally Generated Revenue. This totals N12 billion monthly revenue.”
He further disclosed that the state’s monthly wage bill has increased from N5.4 billion to N6.3 billion due to the minimum wage implementation, while loan deductions account for another N4 billion, leaving only N2 billion for essential developmental projects.
“It would be unfair for Kaduna State to spend nearly all its revenue on consequential adjustments after fulfilling the mandatory minimum wage. The government must also prioritize rural transformation, healthcare, education, and other dividends of democracy,” he said.
Musa highlighted the disparity between the number of civil servants and the state’s population, stating, “With 84,827 civil servants out of over 10 million residents, it is unreasonable to allocate over 90% of the state’s revenue to just 1% of the population.”
He called on the NLC to be patient regarding the consequential adjustments until the state’s revenue improves. Musa also noted that Governor Sani remains labor-friendly, pointing to recent initiatives such as the provision of buses for civil servants to ease their transportation challenges.
“The buses convey workers to and from their offices free of charge as part of measures to cushion the prevailing economic difficulties,” he added.
