Governor Zulum Orders Immediate Implementation of N70,000 Minimum Wage for Borno LG Workers
Governor Zulum orders immediate ₦70,000 minimum wage for local government workers across Borno State.
He warns against staff cuts and urges councils to find ways to meet salary demands.
Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, has directed all 27 Local Government Area (LGA) chairpersons to immediately implement the new ₦70,000 minimum wage for local government workers across the state.
The directive was issued on Sunday during a high-level meeting at the Government House in Maiduguri, attended by key representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE).
Governor Zulum, who confirmed that the state government has already fully implemented the ₦72,000 minimum wage for state civil servants and primary school teachers, emphasized that the same commitment must be extended to LGA workers. However, he warned that salary-related challenges should not result in staff layoffs or retrenchments.
“We are not in support of staff retrenchment at the local government level. I direct you to establish a mechanism that will facilitate the implementation of the minimum wage. I appeal to local government workers to be patient as we work with all 27 LGAs to ensure this is achieved,” Zulum stated.
He urged local government chairpersons to return to their respective jurisdictions, consult with stakeholders, and develop practical solutions to ensure compliance with the wage directive.
However, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Modu Alhaji Mustapha, pointed out a significant hurdle: an overstretched and over-bloated workforce. He disclosed that Borno’s LGAs collectively have about 90,000 workers, a stark contrast to Kano’s 30,000 staff despite having more LGAs and a larger population.
Using Maiduguri Metropolitan Council as an example, Mustapha revealed that the council receives less than ₦700 million monthly from the Federation Account but needs ₦778 million to meet salary demands under the ₦70,000 wage benchmark. “This leaves nothing for other critical services like health, water supply, security and infrastructure,” he said.
In response, Borno NLC Chairman, Comrade Yusuf Inuwa, lauded the Zulum administration for already implementing the ₦72,000 wage for state and primary school teachers, noting that the state is being recognized nationally for its compliance with labour demands.
