FG Orders Payment of Outstanding Wage Award for Civil Servants Before August 15

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The Federal Government has directed payment of outstanding two-month wage award for federal civil servants before August 15, after a high-level meeting between the Minister of Finance, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, and the leadership of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, JNPSNC. This averts a planned labour confrontation. The breakthrough came just in time, after the JNPSNC suspended its August 11 ultimatum issued to the Minister's office over unresolved workers' welfare issues.

The meeting, held yesterday, was personally chaired by the Minister and attended by senior officials of the ministry, including the Permanent Secretaries of the Ministry of Finance (Accounts) and Ministry of Finance (Special Duties). The labour delegation was led by Comrade Kabiru Ado, National President of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, MHWUN; and National Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, who represented the National Chairman of the JNPSNC.

After extensive deliberations, both parties agreed that the outstanding two-month wage award would be paid on or before August 15. The Minister also assured labour leaders that the federal government would facilitate the payment of the long-awaited 40 per cent peculiar allowance through a supplementary budget. The Ministry of Finance will work with the Budget Office to secure the necessary funding for the allowance.

The meeting also revisited the issue of outstanding promotion arrears, with government agreeing that payment processes for batches seven and nine had been resolved. Speaking during the meeting, the Minister emphasised the need for continuous engagement with organised labour to strengthen cordial working relationships with union leaders and ensure timely resolution of workers' welfare issues.

Comrade Kabiru Ado, the labour leader, reassured the Minister of the council's commitment to protect workers' interests. He said the JNPSNC remained ready “to ensure workers welfare are not subjugated.” In his remarks, the National Secretary of the JNPSNC, Olowoyo Gbenga, said the intervention of the union leadership was aimed at preventing an industrial crisis.

The intervention of the union leadership was aimed at preventing an industrial crisis. He said: “The action of the national leadership of JNPSNC was to prevent national embarrassment to the federal government because workers were ready to occupy the office of the minister spontaneously.” Speaking after the meeting, Olowoyo announced that the August 11 ultimatum was suspended, following the agreements reached with the government.

Organised labour warned that it would closely monitor the implementation of the resolutions reached at the meeting. The payment of the outstanding wage award and the peculiar allowance is expected to alleviate the plight of civil servants who have been waiting for a long time.