The Borno State Government has disclosed that the implementation of the proposed N70,000 minimum wage for Local Government workers is currently being hindered by the over-bloated workforce across its LGAs.
Speaking during a media briefing at the Government House in Maiduguri, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Ali Bukar Lawan, highlighted the pressing challenges facing the wage increase efforts. According to him, the sheer size of the local government workforce—many of whom were irregularly employed in the past—has placed a significant strain on the fiscal capacity of the state.
"The government is committed to improving the welfare of its workers, and we are not opposed to the new minimum wage benchmark. However, the reality is that our LG payroll is heavily congested, and this makes it extremely difficult to implement the new wage policy without undergoing thorough reforms," the Commissioner said.
He added that an audit and verification process is already underway to sanitize the system, eliminate ghost workers, and ensure that only qualified and deserving staff remain on the payroll. “Until we clean up the system, it will be financially unsustainable to pay N70,000 minimum wage to each local government worker,” Lawan noted.
The Borno State Government reaffirmed its commitment to the welfare of workers and promised to work closely with labour unions, traditional institutions, and community leaders to ensure transparency and fairness throughout the reform process.