Civil servants are confused and angry because the Federal Government has not continued to pay the N35,000 wage award to workers.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has responded by announcing the possibility of industrial action.
The pay award was purportedly only paid for one month after it was launched in September 2023 to lessen the impact of the cessation of gasoline subsidies.
In response, a senior public servant stated, “We are all confused as there has been no official communication from the government as regards the matter.” “We’re all confused right now.”
A different employee expressed similar annoyance by saying, “What you heard is real. Other than the original pay award, which was paid, we have not received any additional information. The people cannot be allowed to suffer any longer by the government. Right now, our take-home pay barely covers our living expenses.”
The NLC has denounced the government’s actions as “completely unacceptable” and a loss of trust, which has increased tension.
NLC Head of Information Benson Upah remarked, “This is unacceptable and betrays the government’s dishonorable intentions.”
Upah responded, “Certainly, the congress will do something about this, but what it does will be dependent on the appropriate organs of the congress,” when questioned about possible outcomes.
Usually, it comes before what we do.
The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation has reassured employees, meanwhile, that arrangements were being made to meet the wage award obligations.
“The procedure is still in progress. They’ll receive payment. The wage awards payment procedure has started, according to spokeswoman Bawa Mokwa.
In the meantime, N1 trillion was set aside in the 2024 budget for government servant severance payments, promotion arrears, and minimum wage modifications. But the NLC has already made it clear that it will not tolerate the government imposing a new minimum wage on its own.
According to Upah, “the national minimum wage law is the result of collective negotiation by all the critical stakeholders, workers, employers, and the private sector.” No stakeholder can use fiat to solve it. Therefore, any unilateral action by any party will undoubtedly be against the law and the guiding principles controlling this particular variation of minimum wage-setting mechanism, as well as presumptuous, disrespectful, and harmful to other parties.