Sani Haruna
The Kebbi State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the welfare of civil servants, insisting that it has been paying the new minimum wage of N75,000 along with other entitlements, including gratuities, pensions, and death benefits.
The Head of Service, Alhaji Malami Muhammad Shekare, made this known during a joint press briefing in Birnin Kebbi with the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Murtala Usman.
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Shekare explained that Governor Nasir Idris was the first to approve and pay the consolidated minimum wage of N75,000, which is above the Federal Government’s benchmark.
He noted that the amount was mutually agreed upon after consultations between the state government and the NLC.
“Since the commencement of the new wage, the government has been paying without default. Salaries are consolidated, with leave grants embedded, and no civil servant is owed salary, pension, gratuity, or death benefits,” he stated.
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He, however, cautioned that promotion in the state’s civil service is not automatic, stressing that due processes must be followed.
Unlike in other states where workers undergo oral and written examinations before promotion, Kebbi maintains a different approach.
The Head of Service also warned against the spread of false information on social media aimed at causing industrial unrest.
He vowed that the government would take legal action against those behind recent fake reports on workers’ salaries.
On his part, NLC Chairman, Comrade Murtala Usman, dismissed the author of the viral report as an impostor with no ties to any recognized labour union.
“The individual posted three fictitious letters addressed to the Commissioner for Finance, the NLC, and workers at large. His aim is to instigate industrial disharmony in Kebbi.
But the truth is that the government has been faithfully paying the N75,000 minimum wage, which also includes a leave grant,” Usman said.
Both the state government and the labour union assured workers that their welfare remains a top priority while warning against attempts to mislead the public.