Civil servants in Yobe State have urged the state government to reinstate the annual leave grant for workers and to restore full overhead funding—100 percent—to ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs). The appeal was made by Mukhtar Tarbutu, chairman of the Yobe State branch of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), during a joint May Day rally organized by the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Damaturu on Friday.
The rally followed a protest walk that began at the state capital and ended at the office of the State Head of Service, Abdullahi Shehu. Tarbutu highlighted that the payment of the leave grant had been suspended without clear justification, while overhead allocations to MDAs had been arbitrarily reduced by 50 percent. He also called for a 100 percent increase in the furniture allowance, arguing that rising prices of goods and services demand an urgent review of all allowances.
“The current escalation in the cost of living necessitates an immediate upward revision of allowances,” Tarbutu said. “A 100 percent increase in the furniture allowance will have a tangible impact on government employees.”
In addition to the leave grant and furniture allowance, the NLC chairman reiterated demands for a review of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), the implementation of the paramilitary salary structure for the State Fire Service and the Road Traffic Agency, and other related matters.
Despite the criticisms, Tarbutu commended the state government for several recent initiatives, including the adoption of the new national wage structure, large‑scale recruitment into the state civil service, a 20 percent subsidised motorcycle loan scheme, and capacity‑building programmes for workers.
Representing the Head of Service, Permanent Secretary Alhaji Hamidu Babi addressed the crowd, emphasizing that supporting workers and improving their welfare are essential for effective service delivery. He affirmed Governor Mai Mala Buni’s commitment to training and retraining staff across all levels, from permanent secretaries to messengers.
Babi assured the NLC that the union’s demands would be forwarded to the appropriate authorities for prompt action.
The rally underscores ongoing tensions between Yobe’s public‑service workforce and the state administration over funding and welfare provisions, and it sets the stage for further negotiations aimed at resolving the highlighted grievances.
