Bayelsa Approves New Allowances, Promotion Arrears, Retirement Age Extension For Workers

The Bayelsa State Government has approved a comprehensive package of welfare measures for workers across the state's civil service, local government, education, and health sectors, including new allowances, promotion arrears, and an extension of the retirement age for health workers.

The approvals, announced on Monday, are expected to cost the government billions of naira and underscore the administration's commitment to improving workers' welfare despite prevailing economic challenges.

Speaking at an enlarged meeting with labour leaders, union representatives, and senior government officials at Government House, Yenagoa, the Deputy Governor, Dr. Peter Akpe, said Governor Douye Diri had approved the extension of the retirement age and years of service for health workers from 60 to 65 years and 35 to 40 years, respectively.

Dr. Akpe also disclosed that the governor approved the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund, revised earned allowances, and the implementation of 2025 promotion arrears for staff of the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH).

Other approvals include the payment of uniform allowances for primary healthcare workers and nurses, promotion and step increment arrears, specialist allowances for doctors on CONMESS 5, as well as the implementation of gratuities and pensions for retired Environmental Sanitation staff on the CONHESS salary structure.

The deputy governor described organised labour as a strategic partner in governance, noting that the Diri administration had consistently prioritised workers' welfare through labour-friendly policies.

According to him, the governor approved virtually all the demands presented by labour unions, describing the decision as unprecedented in the history of Bayelsa State.

> "Labour and government are partners in delivering good governance. Governor Douye Diri has intentionally strengthened the bureaucracy because it remains the foundation of government, regardless of changes in political leadership," he said.

Dr. Akpe urged workers and labour unions to reciprocate the government's commitment by remaining dedicated to their responsibilities and supporting policies aimed at improving public service delivery.

Addressing journalists after the meeting, the Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Mrs. Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, revealed that more than 95 per cent of the demands submitted by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and other labour unions had been approved.

She said the approvals reflected the Prosperity Administration's commitment to enhancing workers' welfare while sustaining industrial harmony in the state.

"We have approved over 95 per cent of the requests made by the unions. This demonstrates the government's commitment to making workers happy and maintaining the industrial peace Bayelsa enjoys," she said.

Koku-Obiyai noted that the approval of uniform allowances for healthcare workers was the first since the creation of Bayelsa State, adding that resident doctors, teachers, and other categories of workers also benefited from the approvals.

She urged workers to justify the government's investment by remaining committed to efficient service delivery.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Labour, Employment and Productivity, Chief Saturday Odoko, described the approvals as a landmark achievement, saying they represented a win-win outcome for both the government and organised labour.

Labour leaders, including the State Secretary of the NLC, Dr. John Angese, representing the State Chairman, Comrade Simon Barnabas, and the State Chairman of the TUC, Comrade Edwin Fefegha, commended Governor Diri for approving nearly all their demands.

They acknowledged the significant financial implications of the approvals, noting that no previous administration in the state had implemented such extensive welfare packages for workers.

Other labour leaders who praised the government included the Chairman of the Joint Negotiating Council, Comrade Embeleakpo Andabai; President of the NDUTH Association of Resident Doctors, Dr. Otorufa Nathaniel; State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Richman Otobo; State Chairman of the Medical and Health Workers' Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Comrade Anthony Akpe; State President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Comrade ThankGod Singer; and Secretary of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Stephen Umuwe.

The labour leaders pledged their continued support for the Diri administration, expressing confidence that the approvals would significantly boost workers' morale and improve service delivery across the state.