NLC PUSHES FOR FULL COVERAGE AS KADUNA IMPLEMENTS N72,000 MINIMUM WAGE. (PHOTO).

 NLC Pushes For Full Coverage As Kaduna Implements N72,000 Minimum Wage

The Kaduna State Government has begun the rollout of the new N72,000 minimum wage, with civil servants on Grade Levels 1 to 6 being the first to benefit.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Kaduna State Council, confirmed the development during a Thursday press briefing but stressed that all categories of workers must be included without delay.

State NLC Chairman, Comrade Ayuba Suleiman, described the step as encouraging but noted that significant gaps remain, particularly at the local government level and in some key sectors.

“The government has started with Grade Levels 1–6, but this is only the first phase,” he said. “We expect the implementation to extend to teachers, health workers, staff of tertiary institutions, and employees of parastatals.”

According to Suleiman, the government has linked the broader rollout of the wage to the ongoing staff and pension verification exercise, expected to conclude by the end of September. He urged authorities to fast-track the process so that no worker or pensioner is left out.

He also welcomed the state’s plan to adopt new salary tables for health professionals under the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and CONHESS, aligning them with the N72,000 wage framework.

However, the NLC expressed concern that primary school teachers, local government employees, and primary healthcare staff have not yet been captured in the new scheme. Suleiman vowed that the union would continue to engage the government until all workers—across state, local government, education, and health sectors—benefit from the wage and its consequential adjustments.

“Our people have endured years of stagnated pay while living costs soar. The N72,000 minimum wage is not a privilege; it is a right that must be fully implemented,” he said.

The union leader assured that discussions with the state government are ongoing, urging workers to remain calm while insisting that fairness, transparency, and timely action are crucial to maintaining industrial peace.