Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Oyo State Council, Comrade Kayode Martins, has affirmed the Number 4 position of the state in the area of workers’ welfare.
He made the affirmation when the state Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, led the Management of the ministry to the NLC Secretariat in Ibadan on a courtesy visit, in solidarity with workers to mark the 2027 Workers’ Day Celebrations.
The Oyo NLC Chairman stated that the state has set a commendable benchmark by implementing a minimum wage above the Federal benchmark of ₦70,000.
“Prior to the reforms, the state ranked 32nd nationally in key indicators of workers’ welfare. But it has since risen to 4th position following the implementation of the new minimum wage and related reforms,” he said.
He noted that the state government, under Governor Makinde, has taken deliberate steps to restore dignity to retirees through structured gratuity payments and the clearance of long-standing arrears.
Comrade Martins stated in a release by the Commissioner for Information that the Governor Makinde-led administration initially increased gratuity provisions to ₦1 billion.
“Following a request by the NLC for an additional ₦500 million to raise it to ₦1.5 billion, the governor further reviewed it upward to ₦3 billion annually to ensure full settlement of outstanding obligations over time.
“The governor also promised that if, by December 2026, the backlog still exists, all outstanding payments will be fully settled before May 2027,” he added.
The chairman of the Oyo State Council of NLC explained that the intervention significantly reduced hardship among retirees, many of whom previously had to resort to legal action or endure prolonged delays before receiving their entitlements.
He stated that the policy has strengthened confidence among serving workers regarding the security of their benefits upon retirement.
He also commended the administration for reabsorbing previously disengaged workers, describing it as a corrective measure to addressing past injustices.
He also commended Governor Makinde, as well, for approving backlog promotions, which he said has boosted morale among civil and public servants.
He described the simultaneous implementation of wage increases and pension interventions as a historic milestone in Labour relations within the state.
He also noted that it has significantly improved both workers’ welfare and productivity and further reaffirmed the commitment of workers in the state to continued support for the administration with increased dedication and service delivery.
Speaking during the visit, the state Commissioner for Information declared: “The Oyo State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has been described as one of the most forward-looking and mature Labour Unions in recent history.”
Prince Oyelade said, as a young reporter, he had the privilege of covering the landmark amalgamation of the NLC, held at the Parliament Building in Ibadan in 1978 where Comrade Hassan Sunmonu was elected as the president.
“In the past 48 years, I have interacted with various NLC leadership in the state, and I can boldly say that, in terms of building a harmonious relationship between government and workers, particularly from 1999 till date, none has surpassed the current Labour Unions in Oyo State,” he stated.
Oyelade noted that during his governorship address in 2019, Governor Makinde pledged to ensure the prompt payment of workers’ salaries on or before the 25th of every month.
He stated that the promise was met with skepticism by many, adding: “However, NLC, Oyo State Council not only believed in that promise but supported it fully.
“As we can see, 84 months after that audacious commitment, Governor ‘Seyi Makinde has not reneged on the promise.
“Instead, he introduced the 13th-month salary and has increased workers’ salaries three times, even as the workforce expanded significantly due to unprecedented recruitment policy,” he said.
Oyelade further revealed that, with over 130,000 government workers, the Makinde administration now has the largest workforce, not only in the South-West, but also in the South-East and South-South regions.
He added that over ₦18 billion is paid monthly as salaries to government workers, representing an increase of over 800 per cent when compared to the 2019 baseline.
Oyelade also stated that the administration’s internally generated revenue (IGR) of over ₦103 billion monthly was justified by the extensive infrastructure development and strategic interventions aimed at improving citizens’ welfare.
The commissioner congratulated the Oyo State NLC on Workers’ Day and commended the Union for its sustained support for the ‘Seyi Makinde administration.
