Following a temporary suspension of payment, Federal Civil Servants confirmed on Thursday night the receipt of their long-awaited wage awards for October 2023.
This payment, set at N35,000, was part of an agreement struck between the Federal Government and Organized Labour.
The aim was to cushion the adverse effects resulting from the removal of the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, commonly known as petrol.
The announcement of the wage award initially stood at N25,000 for “low-grade workers” within the Federal Civil Service, as stated by President Bola Tinubu during his Independence Day speech.
However, subsequent discussions between the government and organized labor led to an increase in the amount to the finalized sum of N35,000.
The government, through a memo signed by Chairman of the National Salaries, Wages and Income Commission, Ekpo Nta, initially indicated that the wage award payment, set to commence from September 1, 2023, would be fully executed.
However, findings revealed that the government only disbursed the wage award for September, leaving civil servants in Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies without the October allowances.
This development arose amidst reports indicating a reduction of N100 billion in the allocation for the wage awards in the 2023 supplementary budget, casting doubt on the government’s commitment to fulfilling its wage obligations.
Reacting to the partial payment, the Nigeria Labour Congress condemned the government’s actions, labeling them dishonorable.
Similarly, the Trade Union Congress cautioned the government, warning of potential industrial action if civil servants were not promptly paid their due wage awards.
Despite this setback, a senior civil servant, speaking on condition of anonymity to Saturday PUNCH, disclosed that some civil servants had begun to receive the wage award for October 2023.
“In my agency, we received the arrears for October 2023 and nothing else was paid again. The wage award for November and December was not paid; it (the one paid) is only for October 2023. Remember they owed us the sum of N105,000.”
