The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has accused state governors of neglecting their duties by spending most of their time in Abuja, leaving workers and citizens to bear the brunt of worsening economic hardship.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, made the allegation during a town hall meeting with workers at the NLC Secretariat in Lokoja, Kogi State. The event was part of the union’s efforts to engage with workers across various states and address pressing concerns.
According to Ajaero, the absence of governors in their respective states has negatively impacted governance, making it difficult for citizens to communicate their grievances directly to their leaders.
Governance Suffering as Governors Relocate to Abuja
Ajaero, who led the NLC leadership to commission ten Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses for workers in Kogi State, lamented that in all the states they had visited recently, only one governor was present to listen to the plight of workers.
“However, there is a disturbing trend we have observed—most governors now live permanently in Abuja,” Ajaero stated. “We have visited five zones, and Kogi is the fifth. Out of all these states, we have only met one governor. Whenever we arrive, we are told that they are in Abuja. This is affecting governance at the state level.”
He stressed that democracy thrives when leaders are accessible to the people, but with governors largely absent from their states, workers and citizens feel abandoned.
“I think we should be able to manage both the center and the states effectively so that people can experience the dividends of democracy. If people cannot talk to their leaders, how will their needs be addressed?” he asked.
Workers Groan Under Economic Hardship
The town hall meeting provided an opportunity for workers to highlight their grievances, ranging from unpaid salary increments to the lack of adequate housing and the acute shortage of teachers in primary and junior secondary schools.
Workers in Kogi State complained about the government’s failure to implement annual salary increases and improve their living conditions. Many also pointed out that state-owned tertiary institutions, including Kogi State Polytechnic, Kogi State University, and the State Colleges of Education, had been operating under union proscription for over a decade.
Ajaero, visibly shocked by this revelation, condemned the proscription of labour unions in state-owned institutions, calling it unconstitutional.
“Union activities are protected under the Exclusive Legislative List in the Nigerian Constitution,” he said. “No governor has the power to ban them. You cannot ban what you do not control. Unions are registered nationally by the registrar of trade unions. For administrative convenience, they have branches in states. So what exactly are you banning?”
He assured workers that the NLC would take up their complaints and push for solutions at the highest level.
Kogi Workers Look to Labour-Friendly Leadership
The NLC President emphasized the strategic importance of Kogi State, given that both the governor, Usman Ododo, and his deputy have backgrounds in the labour movement.
“Governor Ododo was one of our officials in Niger State, while the deputy governor is from the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT). For us, this is like homecoming. We are here to engage, listen, and find out whether they are upholding the values we fought for,” Ajaero said.
He also assured workers that their concerns, if not addressed at the state level, would be escalated appropriately.
“The information you give us will be relayed to the governor, provided he is available. If he is not, we will deliver it to whoever represents him. But it is important that leaders are present to engage directly with the people they govern,” he added.
Calls for Governors to Return to Their States
The NLC’s visit comes amid increasing frustration over the state of the economy and governance in Nigeria. Workers are grappling with rising living costs, and many feel abandoned by their state governments.
As the economic crisis deepens, labour leaders insist that governors must remain in their states to address pressing issues rather than spending most of their time in Abuja.
The NLC has vowed to continue holding leaders accountable and pushing for policies that improve the welfare of Nigerian workers.
“Governance must be brought back to the grassroots,” Ajaero concluded. “If the people cannot reach their leaders, then democracy is failing.”
