Tension Mounts: Labour, FG Clash Over Halted N35,000 Wage

 

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the organized Labour and the Federal Government are at loggerheads due to the cessation of the N35,000 wage award previously promised to workers.

Workers across the Federal Civil Service voiced their discontent, revealing that the government had only honored the wage award for the month of September.

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The decision to implement the N35,000 payment arose following President Bola Tinubu’s removal of the fuel subsidy upon assuming office.

This move was intended to alleviate the financial strain caused by the subsidy’s elimination. However, recent revelations indicate that the government has failed to sustain this initiative beyond September.

In the absence of official communication, confusion and frustration now cloud the civil service. Many workers have attested to receiving the wage award solely for September, leaving them grappling with financial uncertainty and inadequate salaries.

The failure to continue these payments has exacerbated the financial plight of the workers, making their take-home earnings insufficient to sustain them.

Expressing their dismay, a senior civil servant highlighted the absence of any subsequent payments beyond September, emphasizing the need for clarity from the government. Several others echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing that the government’s inaction was exacerbating citizens’ hardships.

Benson Upah, Head of information at the Nigeria Labour Congress, denounced the government’s actions as dishonorable and unacceptable. He hinted at potential actions from the Congress pending discussions within its appropriate organs. Meanwhile, the government sought to allay fears, assuring civil servants that plans were underway to resume the wage awards.

Amidst this standoff, the Federal Government’s allocation of N1 trillion for minimum wage adjustments, promotion arrears, and severance benefits in the 2024 appropriation budget has come to light.

However, tensions continue to escalate, with the Labour Congress adamantly opposing any unilateral imposition of a new minimum wage, emphasizing the need for collective negotiations involving all stakeholders.

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As talks regarding the new minimum wage loom, the uncertainty surrounding workers’ financial stability persists, raising concerns about the government’s commitment to alleviating citizens’ financial burdens.

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