The Trade Union Congress, TUC has urged the Nigerian Government to expedite action on the payment of the thirty-five thousand Naira, N35,000, wage award given as palliative to Civil Servants to caution against the effects of the removal of fuel subsidy in the country.
It would be recalled that the Nigerian Government awarded a six-month Wage Award beginning from September 2023 to Civil servants across the nation but has so far paid for one month.
The TUC President, Festus Osifo, stated this at the end of the congress’ emergency National Executive Council meeting held in Abuja, Nigeria.
Osifo also called on all the 36 state governors in Nigeria including the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, to assuage the challenges being faced by workers brought about by the removal of fuel subsidy otherwise it may result in a fresh industrial crisis in the nation.
“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.
“We wish to call on the government to fastrack 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.
“We demand that they immediately pay this ₦35,000 wage award to the bank accounts of the federal civil servants without excuses, said Osifo.
He equally demanded that governments at all levels i.e., the Federal Government, the state and local governments tighten their belt, stressing that a situation where they are asking Nigerians to keep tightening their belt and they are not doing the same is not exemplary and unacceptable.
Dominica Nwabufo
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