Workers’ Day: Jigawa Gov Lifts 16-Year Recruitment Ban, Targets 11,000 Jobs

After 16 years of stalled hiring, the Jigawa State Government has lifted its recruitment embargo, targeting over 11,000 new jobs across ministries, departments, and agencies to celebrate the 2026 International Workers Day in Dutse.

Governor Umar Namadi disclosed the development while addressing workers, describing the move as part of efforts to strengthen the public service and improve service delivery.

He said the administration has also stabilised the state and local government contributory pension scheme by injecting billions of naira to prevent its collapse—an issue that has long worried civil servants and retirees.

In addition, the government has disbursed over five billion naira under a civil servants’ agricultural loan scheme, benefiting more than 17,000 workers.

The initiative, according to the governor, is designed to boost income, support food security, and reduce the economic pressure on workers amid rising living costs.

Governor Namadi further directed the review and full implementation of the minimum wage across all sectors, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare.

The 2026 May Day celebration, themed “Insecurity and Poverty as the Bane of Decent Work,” highlighted the growing concern over the impact of economic hardship and security challenges on productivity.

The governor noted that tackling these issues remains central to achieving decent work standards and sustainable development.

He urged workers to remain dedicated to their duties, assuring them of continued government support. He also pointed to his administration’s 12-point development agenda, with a focus on agriculture, infrastructure, healthcare, education, and social protection, as key drivers of economic growth and job creation.

On their part, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Jigawa State chapter, called for urgent action to improve workers’ welfare.

Chairman of the union, Comrade Sanusi Alhassan, urged the state government to domesticate and implement relevant federal circulars affecting workers’ conditions of service.

The union also demanded immediate implementation of the proposed 32,000 naira minimum pension, review of remuneration for permanent secretaries and political office holders, and the conversion of eligible contract staff to permanent and pensionable status.

Other demands include the recruitment of more information and media personnel, and the immediate constitution of governing boards for the Jigawa State Contributory Health Management Agency (JICHMA) and the pension scheme to enhance transparency and service delivery.

However, the NLC commended the state government for key interventions, including the agricultural loan scheme and the construction of over 1,000 housing units for workers across the state.

With the lifting of the recruitment embargo and fresh investments in welfare and social protection, expectations are high among workers in Jigawa.

But labour leaders insist that sustained implementation of policies and timely reforms will be critical to translating these commitments into real improvements in workers’ lives and productivity.