Northern Governors accused of deepening poverty through wage neglect

The Joint Action Committee of Northern Youth Associations (JACON) has accused governors of the 19 northern states of worsening poverty and underdevelopment by refusing to implement a proposed N150,000 minimum wage despite increased revenues following the removal of fuel subsidy.

In a statement issued at the weekend and signed by JACON’s National Director of Public and Strategic Communication, Muhammed Isa, and Secretary General, Raphael Terkolar, the group said the sharp rise in monthly allocations from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) had not translated into improved welfare for workers and ordinary citizens.

JACON alleged that while state revenues had doubled or tripled in some states since subsidy removal, most governors had failed to channel the additional funds toward workers’ welfare, opting instead for “opaque spending, inflated contracts, and recurrent expenditures.”

The group maintained that stagnant wages, unpaid salary arrears, and outstanding pension deductions had pushed workers deeper into poverty amid rising inflation and increasing living costs.

According to the statement, many workers across northern Nigeria can no longer afford basic food items, healthcare, or education for their children, forcing families into debt and worsening the region’s social challenges.

JACON warned that neglecting workers’ welfare could have severe consequences for northern development, including declining economic growth, insecurity, poor public services, and increasing school dropouts.

The association argued that poverty and frustration among workers were contributing to rising insecurity, including banditry and kidnapping, while underpaid teachers, nurses, and other public servants were abandoning their duties due to poor conditions.

The group therefore demanded the immediate implementation of a N150,000 minimum wage for all state and local government workers, with payments backdated to the period of subsidy removal.

It also called for the clearance of unpaid salaries and pension deductions within 90 days, publication of monthly FAAC allocations and welfare expenditures, and the establishment of workers’ welfare trust funds funded with at least 30 per cent of subsidy-related revenue gains.

JACON further vowed to mobilise voters across the North ahead of the next general elections against governors and lawmakers who fail to prioritise workers’ welfare.

The group urged workers, traders, and farmers to use their votes to reject political leaders who benefited from increased allocations without improving citizens’ living conditions.

“We will not stand idle while governors feast on subsidy proceeds and workers drown in poverty,” the statement declared.

JACON described itself as a coalition committed to the development of northern Nigeria, insisting that leaders must be held accountable for the management of public resources and the welfare of citizens.