Kaduna State Workers have faulted claims by the Governor, UBA Sani, that they earn above ₦70,000 as minimum wage, saying this is a pathological lie.
The governor’s pronouncement was met with applause during the official ceremony, but across primary schools, health centres, and local government offices, the reaction was anything but celebratory.
From the northern suburbs of Zaria to the rural corners of Kajuru and Sanga, workers on the front lines of public service say they have yet to feel the impact of any wage increase.
Many are outraged by the governor’s claim, calling it a “misleading” and a “pathological lie.”
Primary school teachers speak out
Yusuf Ibrahim, a level 8 primary school teacher in Ikara Local Government, said his monthly salary still stands at ₦49,073.
“Where is the new salary he is talking about? Maybe it’s for those working in the Government House,” he scoffed. “We in Ikara have not seen any change.”
In Chikun LGA, Mrs Ruth Adamu teaches Primary 3 at one of the LGEA schools. She disclosed that her take-home pay hasn’t moved beyond ₦49,000 despite being a level 8 worker.
“Sometimes it comes late, and sometimes we don’t even get full payment because NUT also deducts from the salary,” she said. “This talk of ₦70,000 minimum is news to us.”
In Sanga LGA, where rural communities depend heavily on public education, Mr. Bala Madaki, a level 7 teacher, lamented that he still earns below ₦45,000 despite over a decade of service.
“We are the forgotten ones,” he said. “We just heard the governor on social media, but our payslip tells another story.”
Primary school teachers in Sabon Gari and Lere LGAs attested to similar frustrations. In Sabon Gari, a teacher who requested anonymity said, “My salary used to be ₦45,066 but what I receive now is ₦42,066 since NUT has also decided to add to my suffering by deducting ₦3,000. If there’s a new minimum wage, it hasn’t reached our desk.”
In Lere, Miss Rahila James added, “This is not just about money. It’s about dignity. We work with passion, but how long can passion feed us?”
In Kajuru, a local government well known for its volatile security situation, the hardship is doubled.
“Sometimes we trek to school because of insecurity and poor transport, yet the government says we earn well,” said Mr Daniel Bitrus, a teacher with 8 years of experience.
From Kaduna North, where the urban setting would suggest better pay, Mrs Hadiza Lawal, a Grade Level 7 teacher, confirmed she still receives under ₦42,000. “The governor should visit our schools unannounced and talk to us directly.”
It is no different in Zaria, one of the state’s key education hubs, offered a similar picture. “Even with my 12 years of teaching experience, my salary hasn’t changed since 2022,” said Mr. Ibrahim Garba. “We are being ignored and the Governor’s claim on Workers Day was simply a pathological lie.”
We only saw increase in food prices – LG, health workers share their pain
At a local government office in Giwa LGA, a junior staff member who asked not to be named said, “My salary is ₦48,050. We hear promises every year, but our bank alerts tell the truth.”
In Kachia, Mrs Bilkisu Musa, a health worker at a primary health centre, said the claim is “political storytelling.” According to her, “We still collect old salaries. Some of us even buy our own gloves and basic medical supplies.”
Another health worker from Kagarko, Mr. Nuhu Dauda, said, “The only increase we’ve seen is in food prices, not salary.”
Rather than push back against the governor’s claim, Kaduna State labour unions have remained notably silent, raising suspicions among workers.
Many believe that union leaders may have been compromised or allegedly bribed by the government to maintain their silence.
The Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), in particular, has come under fire from its members. Teachers across Kaduna have voiced their outrage over recurring deductions from their already meagre salaries in the name of an “end-well scheme.”
“I earn barely ₦45,000, and the NUT still deducts up to ₦4,000 from my pay,” lamented a teacher from Lere LGA who requested anonymity. “They say it’s for our benefit, but we were never consulted, and we see no results.”
In various NUT WhatsApp and Facebook groups, teachers have bitterly complained about the end-well deductions, but according to several members, union leaders have ignored these outcries.
“They act as if they don’t hear us,” said Mrs. Hadiza Lawal of Kaduna North. “We are being punished twice – by the government and by our own union.”
Hadiza Ibrahim, an education policy analyst and lecturer at a tertiary institution in Kaduna, described the situation as “deeply troubling,” especially for teachers in the education sector.
“The governor’s declaration on Workers Day was encouraging, but if implementation is lagging, then it raises serious concerns about transparency and budget priorities,” Hadiza said.
“Teachers are already grappling with overcrowded classrooms, outdated materials, and salary delays. Promising a new minimum wage without follow-through only widens the trust gap between the government and the workforce”, she concluded.
While the Kaduna State government continues to promote a narrative of progressive worker welfare, voices from the grassroots tell a different story.
For many primary school teachers, local government workers, and healthcare providers, the governor’s statement on May Day felt like a slap in the face rather than a celebration.
“We don’t need promises,” said Mrs. Lawal from Kaduna North. “We need fair pay, paid on time, and reflective of the hard work we put in every day.”
Until then, the gap between government podiums and public classrooms will remain painfully wide.
Note: All the names of workers in this report have been changed or not their real names as the workers fear that the government will take action against them for telling the truth.
