By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu, Kano
KANO: As workers across the nation marked the 2025 May Day, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Kano State turned the spotlight on urgent labour challenges threatening public service delivery and worker welfare in the state.
Addressing a large crowd at the Sani Abacha Stadium, the NLC Chairman, Comrade Kabiru Inuwa, condemned the rampant use of casual workers in critical sectors like education and health, calling it a direct threat to society’s stability.
“You cannot entrust the future of our children to casual teachers, nor can you allow casual staff to handle lives in our hospitals,” Inuwa said. “This practice is not just a labour issue—it’s a danger to public wellbeing.”
Inuwa expressed concern that casualisation has undermined professionalism and accountability in these sectors, citing poor sanitation in hospitals as one of the consequences. He urged the Kano State Government to take urgent action by converting all casual staff in public schools and hospitals to permanent employees.
He also tackled the controversy surrounding ghost workers and salary fraud, especially among retired local government staff. Refuting claims that labour leaders are complicit in sustaining ghost workers on payrolls, he blamed systemic inefficiencies in the retirement process.
“The delay in processing retirement documents causes retired workers to remain on payrolls. This is not a deliberate act of fraud,” Inuwa clarified. “We will convene retirement desk officers from all 44 LGAs to formalize an agreement with the government to clean up the system.”
In a blunt address on the growing loan crisis among civil servants, the NLC chair held workers accountable for over-indebting themselves to online lenders, warning that gross indebtedness could attract disciplinary action.
“Some workers now take home ₦500 after loan deductions. These loans are taken voluntarily without union or government endorsement,” he said. “This is reckless and threatens productivity, especially among our teachers. We will not defend irresponsibility.”
Despite the criticisms, Inuwa reaffirmed labour’s commitment to protecting workers’ rights, but called for a balance between advocacy and accountability.
Responding to the issues raised, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf praised Kano’s labour force for its role in governance and social development. He reiterated Kano’s leadership in the national labour movement and rolled out sweeping reforms to boost worker welfare.
Notably, he announced the implementation of a new ₦71,000 minimum wage, positioning Kano among the first states to significantly review salaries in response to economic pressures. He also detailed reforms in the civil service, including training programs, pension upgrades, and the clearance of ₦16 billion in pension arrears.
“We have increased the minimum pension to ₦20,000 and released ₦100 million to assist retirees,” the governor said.
To address unemployment and expand governance, new ministries focused on housing, ICT, SMEs, solid minerals, and security have been established. The governor also highlighted ongoing urban development and anti-thuggery measures.
Labour leaders present at the rally applauded the government’s pro-worker policies and pledged continued collaboration to deepen reforms.