During the 2026 May Day celebrations, NLC and TUC leaders in Enugu appealed to the state government to fulfill approved pension increases and reverse the suspension of annual leave allowances.
ENUGU – Labor leaders in Enugu State have marked the 2026 Workers’ Day with a strong appeal to Governor Peter Mbah to finalize the implementation of the N32,000 minimum pension for retirees and restore the recently suspended annual leave allowances for civil servants.
The call was made during the May Day rally held on Friday at Michael Okpara Square, themed “Insecurity and Poverty: Bane of Decent Work.” While labor representatives acknowledged the state’s progress in security and infrastructure, they emphasized that several approved welfare packages remain pending in the administrative pipeline.
Comrade Fabian Nwigbo, Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Enugu State, lauded the administration for eliminating “sit-at-home” disruptions but pointed to a gap in financial implementation. Specifically, he urged the government to:
Commence payment of the N32,000 minimum pension to state and local government retirees, Settle outstanding gratuity arrears that were officially approved in February 2026, Finalize salary adjustments reflecting the new minimum wage benchmarks across all sectors, including the teachers’ salary structure and domestic servant allowances.
Nwigbo further highlighted the plight of health workers, requesting the full implementation of 100 per cent CONHES and hazard allowances, alongside the absorption of long-serving casual workers into the permanent civil service.
Echoing these sentiments, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Chairman, Comrade Simeon Akaeme, noted that the suspension of annual leave allowances has placed an additional burden on workers already grappling with national inflation. He emphasized that labor solidarity remains the only path toward ensuring that government approvals translate into actual bank alerts for workers.
“Progress in labor movements is achieved through collective struggle,” Akaeme stated, while also requesting operational vehicles to help the unions better coordinate their monitoring and advocacy activities.
In response, the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Mr. Ifeanyi Ossai, representing Governor Mbah, assured the unions that the administration is not deaf to their concerns. He maintained that the government has already made significant strides in wage implementation and infrastructure, promising continued constructive engagement to resolve the outstanding demands.
Earlier, the State Commissioner for Labour, Employment and Productivity, Dr. Felix Nnamani, defended the administration’s record, highlighting the transition from analogue to digital governance. He noted that the state has exceeded federal benchmarks on the minimum wage and is prioritizing the retraining of civil servants through new e-governance platforms.
As the 2026 celebration concluded, the consensus among stakeholders was clear: while the “Renewed Hope” and regional reforms have provided a framework for growth, the immediate focus must remain on the welfare of the workforce to sustain long-term economic stability in the state.
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