The Nigeria Union of Railwaymen (NUR) has called on the Federal Government to immediately implement the 95 per cent salary increase approved for railway workers in 2022, saying the prolonged delay has undermined workers’ morale and adversely affected their welfare.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos, NUR President, Comrade Innocent Ajiji, said the union expects the government to honour its commitment and improve the welfare of railway workers.
Ajiji said railway workers operate under hazardous conditions and deserve remuneration and working conditions that reflect the demands and risks associated with their duties. He added that implementing the approved salary increase and enhancing workers’ welfare would improve productivity, strengthen safety, and boost operational efficiency across Nigeria’s railway system.
According to him, railway workers are among the country’s most dedicated public servants, working day and night, in both adverse weather and extreme heat, including weekends and public holidays.
“Our members work day and night, in the rain and under the scorching sun, including weekends and public holidays, yet they earn the same salary as workers in ministries who operate under far more convenient conditions,” he said.
Ajiji said the railway profession is unique because of the inherent risks involved and should therefore have a remuneration structure that reflects those realities.
He recalled that the union had previously engaged with the former Minister of Transportation, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, to seek an improved salary structure, better conditions of service, and the payment of overtime and other allowances.
According to him, those discussions failed to produce the desired outcome, prompting the union to embark on a three-day warning strike.
“On the second day of the strike, we were invited to Abuja where our grievances were discussed,” he said.
Ajiji further disclosed that in January 2022 the union received official confirmation that the President had approved a 95 per cent salary enhancement for railway workers.
“In January 2022, we received the good news that the President approved a 95 per cent salary enhancement for railway workers. Sadly, that approval has yet to be implemented,” he said.
The NUR President said the continued delay has weakened workers’ morale and exacerbated welfare concerns across the railway sector.
He also lamented that many train crew members lack decent rest facilities, while overtime, hazard, weekend, and public holiday allowances remain unpaid despite the demands of their work.
Ajiji added that railway workers have inadequate access to healthcare facilities and are often compelled to carry out maintenance work using obsolete equipment.
“Most times, our workers use bare hands to do jobs machines should ordinarily handle because we lack modern maintenance equipment and spare parts,” he said.
He urged the Federal Government to implement the approved salary increase without further delay and improve the overall welfare package for railway workers.
Ajiji also called for increased investment in railway workshops, locomotives, coaches, and modern maintenance equipment, saying such investments would improve service delivery and support the long-term growth of Nigeria’s railway sector.
