The delegation was led by the State NLC Chairman, Comrade Sani Haliru Magajin Rafin Kurya, and his TUC counterpart, Comrade Engr. Rabiu Sabo. They were accompanied by their respective secretaries and other key union officials. Opening the dialogue, Comrade Sani Haliru set a tone of cautious cooperation, expressing the unions’ appreciation to the State Governor, His Excellency Dauda Lawal Dare, and the Head of Service, Yakubu Sani Haidara, for maintaining open channels of communication with organised labour. This acknowledgment of a listening ear from the government was presented as a foundational step for the constructive discussions that followed.
A central pillar of the discussion was the intricate web of issues surrounding wages and career progression for state workers. The NLC Chairman provided an update on the implementation of the national minimum wage within Zamfara State, a perennial topic of concern. He revealed that while progress was being made, the labour unions had identified discrepancies within the official salary structure tables. These inconsistencies, he assured the listening audience, were being actively addressed. The conversation naturally extended to the matter of staff promotions and the verification exercise conducted the previous year. Comrade Sani Haliru clarified that the NLC’s participation in that verification was aimed at ensuring fairness and transparency. However, he issued a direct appeal to the state government, urging the reconstitution of a White Paper Committee to conclusively resolve the lingering issues that emerged from that extensive verification process, particularly the financial implementation of deserved promotions.
The plight of pensioners formed another critical segment of the broadcast. Comrade Sani Haliru provided a legal perspective, reminding listeners that pension structures are subject to a mandatory review every five years. While he commended the present administration for its efforts in tackling a backlog of pension payments, he emphasized that the work was far from complete. Echoing and expanding on these concerns, the TUC Chairman, Comrade Engr. Rabiu Sabo, voiced deep apprehension over the current pension processing system, describing it as cumbersome and in need of urgent streamlining. He offered proactive recommendations, advising workers approaching retirement to thoroughly acquaint themselves with the necessary procedures and documentation to prevent avoidable delays. His most salient proposal was for the state government to institutionalize formal pre-retirement training workshops for employees, ideally commencing at least three months before their retirement date, to ensure a smoother transition.
The programme truly came to life during the public call-in session, where the theoretical issues discussed were replaced by vivid, personal testimonies. A caller from Kaura Namoda, Balkisu, brought the promotion issue into sharp relief, appealing for urgent action on the financial implementation of promotions, especially for teachers. She illustrated the human cost of bureaucratic failure by citing a distressing case where a staff member on Grade Level 12 was inexplicably receiving salaries meant for Grade Level 9. From Ya’n Doton Daji, Bashar Salisu added his voice, calling not only for the payment of outstanding salary arrears but also for a general upward review of wages to match economic realities, while praising the labour leaders for their advocacy.
Perhaps the most poignant moment came from Bilyaminu Rabiu of Bungudu, who sought guidance on behalf of minors whose father had passed away after retiring, despite having just begun to receive his pension. In a response that underscored the unions’ role beyond negotiation, the NLC Chairman personally advised the caller to bring the children to the NLC Secretariat for direct assistance, extending an open invitation to any worker or pensioner facing similar dire challenges. Another caller, Aminu Buba Mai Goro, shifted the focus to broader economic revival, suggesting that the labour unions should lobby the government to resuscitate moribund state industries as a long-term solution to employment and economic woes.
In conclusion, the “Mu Duba Mu Gani” programme succeeded in its fundamental objective: fostering an open dialogue between the custodians of workers’ welfare and the public they serve. The broadcast highlighted the ongoing, collaborative efforts between organised labour and the state government to improve conditions, while simultaneously and clearly identifying the persistent gaps that demand urgent attention. The unresolved issues of pension administration, salary scale corrections, and the tangible implementation of promotions remain at the forefront of the labour agenda in Zamfara State. The ball, as articulated through the clarifications and appeals of the NLC and TUC leadership, now rests in the court of the state government to act on these publicly aired concerns, ensuring that the spirit of “seeing and witnessing” translates into concrete and timely solutions for the workforce and retirees of Zamfara.
