The Trade Union Congress (TUC) President, Festus Osifo, emphasized the immediate need to disburse the ₦35,000 wage award to all federal civil servants.
This call comes in the wake of an emergency National Executive Council meeting held by the congress, as disclosed during a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday.
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The wage award, a result of discussions held subsequent to the removal of the fuel subsidy, has become a pressing concern for the TUC.
President Osifo highlighted that, according to credible information, federal civil servants had only received a one-month payment covering September.
Additionally, he pointed out that only a fraction of workers had been compensated for the second time.
Expressing dissatisfaction, Osifo directed the warning not only to the Federal Government but also extended it to the 36 state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
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He urged them to proactively address the challenges faced by workers due to the fuel subsidy removal to prevent the emergence of a new crisis.
TUC President Osifo Reads:
“On the issue of the wage award, it is on record that the payment has been made just once for September, but as it is now, our members in the federal civil service have not been paid the ₦35,000 wage award since October.”
He continued, “We wish to call on the government to fast-track all the payments now. We learned that they’re putting some things in place to ensure the payment, but people are not ready to listen to excuses.”
The TUC demands an immediate disbursement of the ₦35,000 wage award to the bank accounts of federal civil servants without any further delays.Osifo emphasized the need for governments at all levels to empathize with the workers, stating..
“We want the government to tighten their belts, governments at all levels – the Federal Government, the state, and local governments because a situation where they are asking Nigerians to keep tightening their belt and they (government officials) are living in affluence is not acceptable.”
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As the nation awaits the government’s response, the urgency of addressing these concerns is underscored by the potential repercussions on the welfare of federal civil servants and the stability of the country.
