‘It Is Shameful To Owe Us’ – Federal Workers Demand Payment Of Three-Month Wage Arrears

• Federal Workers Forum urges Tinubu to pay three-month wage award and other arrears.

• Workers criticize the Nigerian government’s neglect and highlight severe economic hardships.

• National Coordinator Andrew Emelieze notes a 300% increase in goods and services prices and significant currency devaluation.

EKO HOT BLOG reports that Workers on the platform of the Federal Workers Forum (FWF) have called on President Bola Tinubu to pay their three-month wage award and other arrears.

The workers made this appeal during an online meeting of the forum held on Saturday.

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In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the workers expressed their frustration, noting that the Nigerian government is not taking workers seriously.

The communiqué, signed by the forum’s National Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze, highlighted the increasing economic hardships. Emelieze lamented that prices of goods and services have surged by over 300% recently, while the national currency has been significantly devalued. As a result, federal workers are struggling to feed themselves and survive in the country.

He said that it is unfortunate that the federal government, led by Tinubu, has stopped the payment of the ₦35,000 wage award since February.

He used the opportunity to appeal to the president to pay the three-month wage award and all other arrears.

The communique read, “We have observed that the Nigerian government is not taking workers seriously; the government doesn’t care about the welfare of its workers. We are really very disappointed in the government’s disposition towards workers.

“It appears the government is heartless and wicked. It is obvious the government is playing games with the new national minimum wage; this is truly very mindless and insensitive.

“Our national currency has been badly devalued. Federal workers now find it very difficult to feed and survive in Nigeria. Most unfortunately, the government has stopped the payment of the N35,000 wage award since February.

“It is shameful that the government now owes the federal workers three-month wage award. The government is also owing several arrears of allowances, promotion arrears, and several other payments to federal workers.

“We cannot continue suffering unnecessarily; we have endured this hardship enough. The federal government should pay up the three-month wage award and other arrears owed to federal workers.

“The federal government is not permitted to borrow any amount from our contributory pension fund. We are in total support of the indefinite national strike action called by labour. Federal workers should ensure full compliance and a complete shutdown of all federal government secretariats nationwide.

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“If, after five working days from the commencement of the indefinite strike, and the government is not budging, labour should lead the workers to occupy the Three Arms Zone and state government houses nationwide. We call for solidarity and support from the Nigerian people.”

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