Federal Civil Servants Issue Ultimatum on Minimum Wage, Outstanding Wage Award Payments
Federal civil servants across Nigeria have issued a strong ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding the immediate payment of outstanding wage awards, harmonisation of salaries, and a comprehensive review of their welfare package.
The call was made by the Federal Workers Forum (FWF), which decried what it described as years of neglect, economic sabotage, and exploitation by successive administrations, particularly under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Andrew Emelieze, a former Chairman of the Oyo State Trade Union Congress (TUC), the group accused the Federal Government of failing to fulfil its promise to pay the balance of the ₦35,000 wage award—a temporary relief fund introduced after the removal of fuel subsidy in 2023.
According to Emelieze, only two months of the promised five-month arrears have been paid, leaving ₦105,000 still owed to each federal worker for May, June, and July 2024.
“For 15 months now, the government has sat on this money, knowing fully well how poorly federal workers are being paid. To owe workers in such dire times is not just economic sabotage; it is a crime against humanity,” he stated.
The wage award, introduced in response to public outcry following the removal of petrol subsidies and currency devaluation, was meant to cushion the rising cost of living.
However, workers say the payments have been erratic and politicised, with frequent delays addressed only after protests or threats of industrial action.
FWF also accused the Accountant General of the Federation of reneging on an earlier commitment to fully implement the new national minimum wage, which, according to the group, amounted to nothing more than a ₦40,000 flat addition to salaries—heavily taxed and uniform across all grade levels.
