The Kano state governor Dr Abdullahi Ganduje has commenced the payment of N30,600 minimum wage in December 2019 in fulfilment of a promise he made to adopt the new wage regime in the state.

With the latest development in the state, the basic salary for civil servants in Kano is now even N600 more than the debated N30,000 minimum wage.


The new salary scale is officially supposed to have commenced from April 2019 based on the agreement reached between the state government and the Joint Public Service Negotiations Council (JNC), thereby leaving behind eight months arrears.

Some workers who spoke to Vanguard expressed appreciation with the governor’s fulfilment of his promise, though late, describing the move as encouraging and hoping that the arrears be paid.

“I am a health worker under the state government and I am impressed that the governor has been able to commence the payment of the N30,000 basic salary system with an increase of N600 even though it is supposed to be from April 2019.

This is highly encouraging when compared to other states. We don’t know now whether they will pay arrears or not. We also hope he fulfils the promise he made of free and compulsory education as well” Bashir Yusuf, a government health worker stated.

Responding to questions on the new development, the state Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs Malam Muhammad Garba said “Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje had, right from the commencement of negotiation between the federal government and organized labour, indicated his administration’s readiness to pay the restructured minimum wage which has begun from this December.

“Workers in the state are smiling home with their new pay from their respective banks.”
On whether the government would pay the arrears of the past eight months, the commissioner said: “Workers in the state should be rest assured that based on the agreement reached between the state government and the Joint Public Service Negotiation Council, arrears of April–November 2019 would be paid in instalments over time.”

However, he appealed to civil servants to reciprocate the gesture by dedicating themselves to their duties so as to improve service delivery.

He also called on workers, particularly those in the revenue-generating entities to make an extra effort by ensuring that taxable individuals and corporate entities always pay their dues so that government continues its laudable development programmes for the teeming populace.

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