The Bayelsa State Government has approved new allowances and welfare packages for workers in the state’s mainstream civil service, local government system and other sectors, reaffirming its commitment to improving workers’ welfare and strengthening public service delivery.
Deputy Governor Peter Akpe disclosed the approvals on Tuesday during an enlarged meeting with labour leaders, representatives and senior government officials at the Government House, Yenagoa.
He said Governor Douye Diri approved the extension of service years and retirement age for health workers from 35 to 40 years and from 60 to 65 years.
According to Akpe, the governor also approved the 2026 medical residency training fund, revised earned allowances, and the implementation of 2025 promotion exercises and arrears for workers of the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH).
Other approved benefits include uniform allowances for primary healthcare workers and nurses, payment of promotion and step increment arrears, specialist allowances for doctors on CONMESS 5, and implementation of gratuities and pensions for Environmental Sanitation staff under the CONHESS salary structure who retired before the approval.
Akpe described labour unions and government as strategic partners in strengthening the state’s bureaucracy and ensuring effective service delivery.
He urged labour leaders to continue supporting government policies to sustain the cordial relationship between the administration and workers.
“Labour and government are one and the same because all of us are put together to deliver governance.
”Labour is the arm that deals with the welfare of the bureaucracy, and without the bureaucracy, political governance will be in shambles,” he said.
The deputy governor said the Diri administration had consistently prioritised workers’ welfare, noting that the government approved virtually all the 40-point demands presented by labour unions.
He added that the approvals represented an unprecedented step in the history of Bayelsa State.
Speaking after the meeting, Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai said the government had carefully reviewed labour demands from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) and other unions.
She said more than 95 per cent of the demands were approved, describing the development as a reflection of the administration’s commitment to improving workers’ welfare despite current economic challenges.
“The Prosperity Government has looked at all labour demands and a lot of things were approved according to what they asked for. We have approved over 95 per cent, and that is a good development,” she said.
Koku-Obiyai noted that the approvals covered promotion arrears, uniform allowances, benefits for resident doctors and teachers, among others.
She urged workers to reciprocate the government’s gesture by remaining committed to their duties and improving service delivery.
“The workers are the engine room and they must keep the engine room steaming so that the state will continue to develop,” she said.
Commissioner for Labour, Employment and Productivity, Saturday Odoko, described the approvals as a historic milestone for workers in the state, saying July 13, 2026 would remain memorable in Bayelsa’s labour history.
Labour leaders, including the state chapters of the NLC and TUC, commended Governor Diri, the deputy governor and the government team for approving most of their demands.
They acknowledged the financial implications of the decisions but said the move demonstrated the administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare.
They pledged continued support for the government while promising to ensure improved productivity.
Other labour leaders who welcomed the development included representatives of the Joint Negotiating Council, Association of Resident Doctors, Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria Union of Teachers, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees and the Nigeria Medical Association.
