The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Yobe state Council, has demanded for full implementation of the ₦70,000 national minimum wage for primary school teachers, primary health care workers, and local government staff in the state.
Presenting the memorandum at the NLC/TUC Joint May Day Rally 2026 in Damaturu on Friday, the labour union state chairman, Comrade Muktar Musa Tarbutu, said, “Uneven implementation was fueling economic hardship, draining worker morale, and worsening insecurity and poverty in the state.”
He cited Section 14(2), (b) of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees the security and welfare of the citizens, as a reflection of this year’s theme, “Insecurity and Poverty: Bane of Decent Work.”
While commending the state government’s “past cooperation,” he presented a list of urgent demands, which included full minimum wage coverage for all LG staff, teachers, and primary health workers, as well as the restoration of 100% overhead costs, lamenting that it was slashed by 50%.
Tarbutu said other demands are 100% upward review of furniture allowance, reinstatement of annual leave grant and increment, implementation of CONPASS salary structure for Fire Service and Road Traffic Agency staff, creation of a Director of Labour office and appointment of an Adviser on Labour Matters, upward review to CONHESS for health workers and reversal of the two-level drop, agricultural training and modern tools for food security and internal revenue generation.
The labour leader warned that failure to address the wage imbalance between state and local government workers would continue to advance poverty, insecurity, and low productivity.
On his part, the Head of Service, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Public Service Office (PSO) Administration Service, Hamidu Musa Sabi, assured the workers that he would present their message to the head of service for onward action.
