- The Edoka Factor: From Protest to Partnership
By Abu Micheal.
For years, the story of workers’ welfare in Kogi State was written on the streets. Civil servants and Local Government workers, especially members of NULGE, had to protest, agitate, and march just to have their voices heard. Demands for salaries, pensions, and basic welfare often ended in confrontation rather than conversation.
That story has changed under the administration of Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo.
Today, the focus is no longer on what workers are demanding, but on what government is delivering. And central to that shift is a deliberate decision to bring labour leadership into government itself.
When Comrade Onuh Edoka joined in mobilizing support for Ododo ahead of the 2023 election, many viewed it with suspicion. The idea of a labour leader aligning closely with a political candidate raised questions in some quarters. But with the benefit of hindsight, that decision has no doubt paid off for workers across the state.
The appointment of Comr. Edoka as Special Adviser to the Governor on Labour Matters created a direct bridge between government and the workforce. For the first time, issues affecting workers are being flagged, discussed, and resolved from inside the system, before they escalate. His presence, alongside other labour leaders brought into the administration, has made engagement faster, smoother, and more productive.
The results are evident in both the Civil Service and Local Government Administration. Kogi was the first states to implement the new ₦72,500 minimum wage, higher than the federal benchmark. Salaries at both state and LG levels are now paid promptly, with NULGE confirming that June 2025 salaries were paid before the month ended. Leave bonuses, which had not been paid to LG workers in 10 to 15 years in some areas, have been restored. Pensioners are also seeing regular payments, a ₦10,000 harmonization allowance, and the commencement of gratuity payments after two decades of delay.
Beyond pay, workers are experiencing real welfare improvements. Most state workers have been enrolled into the Kogi State Health Insurance Scheme, with plans to extend coverage to the local government level. The government has also rolled out quarterly palliatives and provided 11 CNG buses to ease transportation for workers.
The civil service is undergoing quiet but important reforms. Training and retraining programs are ongoing to align staff with global best practices. Promotions for 2023, 2024, and 2025 are being processed, recruitment is filling critical gaps, and personnel of the Kogi State Vigilante Service have been gazetted into the civil service. The newly established Kogi State ICT Development Agency is driving the digital transformation of government processes.
Perhaps most importantly, industrial harmony has returned. Instead of protests, there is dialogue. Instead of waiting, there is action. NULGE has publicly described Gov. Ododo as “God-sent” and has endorsed him for 2027, during it 8th Quadrennial Delegate Conference held in Lokoja, citing the tangible improvements in the lives of local government workers.
Governor Ododo has repeatedly said, “I am one of you. I understand where the shoe pinches.” That understanding, backed by the strategic inclusion of labour voices like Comr. Edoka, has turned labour relations in Kogi from adversarial to collaborative. Policies are now worker-tested before rollout, and feedback gets to the Governor’s table early.
What many doubted in 2023 has become one of the administration’s strongest assets in 2025 and 2026. By putting labour at the table, this government has shown that when workers are heard first, they do not need to protest last. And as Kogi pushes forward with its development agenda, the partnership between government and labour stands as a model for how inclusive governance can deliver real results.
– Abu Micheal writes from Lokoja.
