The rising cost of living in Nigeria has continued to affect ordinary citizens, particularly civil servants who depend largely on their monthly salaries to meet their daily needs. Increasing transportation fares, food prices, house rents and other basic expenses have made life increasingly difficult for many workers.
In Gombe State, workers are not exempt from these economic challenges. Many civil servants struggle to manage their monthly salaries amid the rising cost of transportation and other essential needs.
It is against this background that workers in Gombe State are calling on the state government to adopt the Federal Government’s N70,000 monthly transport allowance initiative and extend the benefit to all state workers.
The Federal Government’s decision to provide a N70,000 monthly transport allowance to federal workers for six months, beginning in November 2026, has raised expectations among workers in other parts of the country. Labour unions in states including Lagos, Kaduna, Benue and Bayelsa have also called for similar support, although their demands and implementation arrangements differ.
Gombe State should not be left out of this important discussion. State workers also deserve attention and practical support, considering their contributions to public service delivery and the overall development of the state.
The government should recognise that a motivated workforce is essential for effective service delivery. Providing transport assistance would help ease some of the financial pressure on workers and improve their ability to discharge their official responsibilities.
Although the state government may have financial commitments and competing priorities, workers’ welfare should remain an important part of its policy considerations.
The government and organised labour should, therefore, engage in constructive discussions to find a sustainable arrangement that will benefit workers without placing undue pressure on the state’s finances.
A CALL FOR ACTION
This is the time for the Gombe State Government to listen to the concerns of its workforce and consider introducing a monthly N70,000 transport allowance for all state workers, as the Federal Government has done for its employees.
Workers are not asking for luxury; they are asking for relief in the face of difficult economic circumstances. Their welfare matters, and their contributions to the development of Gombe State should not be overlooked.
The welfare of workers is an investment in good governance, productivity and sustainable development.
Khalifa Umar Bappah
Email: khalifaumar@gmail.com