The Federal Government has ensured civil servants in Nigeria commence receiving payments for the November 2023 wage awards, marking a significant development following a period of uncertainty.
The payments were confirmed through interviews conducted by journalists in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
According to newsmen, the wage awards were a crucial part of the agreements reached between organised labour and the Federal Government to mitigate the impact of the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol.
Initially, the government had suspended the payment of the wage awards, a decision that sparked criticism from activists and stakeholders. This action came amidst revelations that the government had reduced the allocation for wage awards by N100 billion in the 2023 supplementary budget.
In response to the government’s actions, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC condemned the move as dishonourable, while the Trade Union Congress warned of potential industrial action if civil servants were not paid their wage awards.
However, recent reports indicate that the payment of the November 2023 wage awards has commenced. A senior civil servant, speaking anonymously, confirmed the development, stating, “Payment started this morning, and others in my agency have also confirmed receipt.”
Similarly, another senior civil servant from a Federal Government-owned institution outside Abuja also confirmed the payment, stating, “Yes, the November 2023 wage award has been disbursed.”
In light of the ultimatum issued by organised labour, the Minister of State for Labour, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, assured that the government would resume the payment of wage awards, indicating a positive step towards addressing the concerns of civil servants.
