Labour fumes as FG stops N35,000 award payment

Because the federal government cannot continue to pay workers their N35,000 wage award, organised labour and the government are headed for conflict.

In separate interviews with our correspondent on Monday, Federal Civil Service employees stated that the Federal Government had only paid N35,000 towards their September wage award.

In order to lessen the hardship brought on by President Bola Tinubu's removal of the fuel subsidy upon taking office, the Federal Government promised to pay N35,000 to each of its employees.

The National Salaries Wages and Income Commission Chairman, Ekpo Nta, signed a memo from the government stating that the wage award would be paid starting on September 1, 2023.
But according to research done by our correspondent, the government only paid the salary award for September.


"The wage award was only paid once, and I assume that was the one for September," stated a senior civil servant in one of the main ministries, departments, and agencies. We haven't had another one since. Since there has been no formal government communication regarding the matter, we are all perplexed. Right now, we're all perplexed.
Speak to our correspondent anonymously, another civil servant confirmed that what you have heard is accurate. The initial wage award that was paid is all that we have received. Citizens cannot be allowed to suffer indefinitely by the government. At this point, our take-home pay isn't even enough to support us.
A civil servant in one of the Federal Government-owned schools in Abuja who also spoke with our correspondent mentioned that the employees there only received their wage award for a single month.

"It appears that we were only granted access for a single month, September. We continue to receive our salaries along with the odd allowance that the previous administration instituted, but we have not been given a wage award. The government must quit manipulating our feelings.
In an interview with our correspondent, Benson Upah, the Nigeria Labour Congress's Head of Information, stated, "This betrays the government's dishonourable intentions and is completely unacceptable."

He responded, "Certainly, the congress will do something about this, but what it does will be dependent on the appropriate organs of the congress," when asked if the NLC would take action. Yes, we will communicate with the government. Usually, it comes before what we do.

However, in a Monday interview with our correspondent in Abuja, Bawa Mokwa, the spokesperson for the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, allayed concerns about civil servants. Plans were in place to guarantee that civil servants receive their wage awards, according to Mokwa.
It was further explained to our correspondent by Upah, the head of information for the Nigeria Labour Congress, that the congress would oppose any attempt by the federal government to impose a new minimum wage.

Though he expressed optimism that talks on the new minimum wage would soon begin, Upah told The PUNCH in Abuja that they had not yet begun).

Upah responded, "No, not yet, but soon, I suppose," when asked if the congress had been notified that talks about a new minimum wage would soon begin.
According to Upah, the government, businesses, and employees—as well as the private sector—collectively negotiated the national minimum wage legislation. None of the stakeholders can fix it by fiat. For this reason, any unilateral action taken by any party will undoubtedly be against the law and the guiding principles governing this particular method of setting the minimum wage in addition to being presumptuous, disrespectful, and harmful to other parties.