Some federal civil servants on Tuesday in separate interviews with our correspondent confirmed that the Federal Government has started the payments of the November 2023 wage award.
The payment of wage awards to Nigerian workers was one of the deals agreed upon by the organised labour and the Federal Government as one of the ways to mitigate the effect of the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit popularly known as petrol.
However, the government at a time suspended the payment of the wage award, a move which was criticised by activists and other stakeholders
The development came amidst reports that the government had slashed the wage award allocation by N100bn in the 2023 supplementary budget.
The Nigeria Labour Congress had described the government’s action as dishonourable, while the Trade Union Congress also urged the government to pay civil servants the wage awards or risk industrial action.
A senior civil servant who confided in PUNCH Online, however, said some civil servants had started receiving the wage award for November 2023.
“Payment came in this morning, others have also confirmed receipt in my agency,” the source said.
Another senior civil servant in one of the Federal Government-owned schools outside Abuja also confirmed the development saying,” Yes, the November 2023 wage award has been paid.”
Following an ultimatum given by the organised labour, the Minister of State for Labour, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, noted that the government would again resume the payment of the wage awards.
Details later…