Uba Sani, governor of Kaduna, says no worker in the state earns less than N70,000 as salary in compliance with the new minimum wage.

Sani spoke on Thursday at Murtala Square in Kaduna on occasion the Workers’ Day celebration.

The governor said the least paid worker in the state earns N72,000, noting that he believes in the dignity of labour, adding that the issue of incremental adjustment of salaries would be addressed soon.

“I have been involved in the struggle for labour rights, workers’ rights. That is my antecedent. Because of my background, I sat down with the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC),” Sani said.

“I made it clear to them that though we have met the minimum wage requirement but there is something called incremental adjustment which is discretionary.

“Because of my relationship with both NLC and TUC, I asked them that we should sit down and come up with a formular that will make every worker in Kaduna state happy, irrespective of his or her status and they came up with three different options.

“Today, I want to reaffirm to all of you here that by the grace of God, we will look at the incremental adjustment and ensure that even senior civil servants will benefit because we have to make our workers happy.’’

The governor added that his administration also prioritises improving the living conditions of pensioners.

He said the state government has released N3.8 billion to settle outstanding gratuities, death benefits, and accrued rights under the contributory pension scheme in April.

“Since the inception of our administration, we have cumulatively paid the sum of N10.4 billion in gratuity, death benefits, and accrued rights in the Contributory Pension Scheme,” Sani said.

The governor said the payment of such a huge sum to pensioners is “unprecedented.”

Commenting on the ongoing industrial action by the Kaduna State University branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Sani said his administration has done everything to reposition the school.

According to him, more than 60 percent of the courses were not accredited when he assumed office, but his administration spent over N300 million to secure National Universities Commission (NUC) accreditation.

The governor said the striking lecturers’ demands had accumulated over 17 years, with about three of his predecessors unable to settle the liabilities, which now total between N5 billion and N6 billion.

“In spite of this, the lecturers want us to settle these liabilities now, and I said no. I said that we have to sit down and have a dialogue. I then asked them, where were their voices in the last 17 years?” he said.

He promised that the problem would be addressed owing to the importance of education, which he described as the “greatest leveller”.

The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has asked the government to prioritise the welfare of oil workers, given the hazardous nature of their work.

In a statement on Thursday, Billy Gillis-Harry, PETROAN’s president, hailed oil and gas workers across the country on Workers’ Day.

According to Joseph Obele, PETROAN’s spokesperson, Gillis-Harry, while addressing journalists in Abuja, appealed to the government and stakeholders in the industry to improve welfare packages and expand health insurance for oil workers.

“Studies have shown that workers in areas where gas flaring is prevalent are at high risk of several health challenges, which can affect them physically, mentally and even increase cancer risks,” Gillis-Harry was quoted as saying.

The association said gas flaring remains a serious problem in Nigeria’s energy industry, exposing workers and nearby communities to harmful health and environmental effects.

The group said the impact of gas flaring highlights the urgent need for better health protection and general welfare for those working in the sector.

According to the statement, Gillis-Harry urged regulatory bodies to strictly enforce existing laws aimed at stopping gas flaring in the country.

“It’s imperative that we prioritise the health and well-being of our workers and protect the environment from the harmful effects of gas flaring,” the president said.

The spokesperson said PETROAN believes ending gas flaring would reduce its harmful impact on workers and host communities and help build a more responsible oil and gas industry.

Obele said PETROAN commended governors who have started paying the new minimum wage, especially those paying above the set rate.

“Billy Gillis-Harry called on governors who are yet to comply to do so in the shortest possible time, emphasising the need for workers to receive fair compensation for their labour,” he said.

He said the association also reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with stakeholders to support oil and gas workers and ensure safe and healthy working environments.

Obele said PETROAN is of the view that better welfare and an end to gas flaring would boost productivity, reduce accidents, and raise performance across the industry.