The Nigeria Labour Congress,NLC, in Sokoto State has denied a report claiming that the state has not implemented the new ₦70,000 minimum wage.
In a joint statement, the NLC, together with the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), described the report as “misleading and completely untrue.”;
They specifically refuted a claim made by the National President of NULGE, Ali Haruna Kankara, who allegedly listed Sokoto among states that have not yet adopted the new wage.
Sokoto State NLC Chairman, Aliyu Abdullahi Jangale, clarified, “To set the record straight, Sokoto State was the first in the entire federation to fully implement the ₦70,000 minimum wage. This began as far back as January this year.”;
He further emphasized that workers at all levels—state, local government, and LGEAs—are already receiving the new wage. Jangale expressed his disappointment regarding the misinformation and urged national labour leaders to verify facts before making public statements.
“It’s disheartening to see such a claim coming from our national president. We expected better,”; he stated.
The NLC Chairman also praised Governor Ahmed Aliyu, calling him “the most worker-friendly Governor in Nigeria”; for his efforts in prioritizing workers' welfare. He highlighted the government's actions, such as cleaning up the payroll system to ensure transparency.
“We were part of the verification committee that fished out ghost workers. This was a key part of preparations before rolling out the new salary structure,”; Jangale explained.
Jangale commended Governor Aliyu for clearing a backlog of gratuities and pensions worth billions of Naira, restoring cash allocations to government agencies, and ensuring timely salary payments.
He added that “Governor Ahmed Aliyu didn’t just comply with President Tinubu’s directive, he led the way. And we’re proud of that.”;
The union leaders reiterated that workers' rights remain a top priority and called on the media to verify reports regarding citizens' welfare.
