The Federal Workers Forum (FWF) don accuse the Nigerian government say e no fully implement the new ₦70,000 national minimum wage wey dem approve for July 2024. According to the group, federal workers across the civil service dey face worsening hardship and no fit cope again with the rising cost of living.
For one press release wey dem sign on Wednesday, September 2, wey dem address to the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, President Bola Tinubu, Chief Justice of the Federation and Head of Service of the Federation, the forum demand say make government immediately increase federal minimum wage to ₦300,000.
The FWF also propose maximum salary of ₦1.5 million for Level 17 officers, arguing say the proposed wage structure go better reflect economic realities wey workers dey face and help harmonise pay across the public service.
According to the workers, Federal Government no fully implement the new minimum wage since July 2024, despite repeated demands for consequential adjustment to salaries and allowances. The group talk say, ‘It go surprise you to hear say federal government don fail to fully implement the new national minimum wage since July 2024.’
Dem add say workers don dey struggle for ‘full consequential adjustment’ of the new minimum wage but the process still dey hang. The FWF claim say only ₦40,000 na im dem add to salaries of every federal worker across all levels, from Level 1 to 17. Dem explain say ‘The last review of salary for July 2024 give us ₦70,000 as new national minimum wage, with only ₦40,000 added to the previous ₦30,000.’
The workers also raise concern over non-payment of the 40 per cent peculiar allowance and other outstanding entitlements. Dem allege say ‘The new Minister of Finance equally promise to pay the balance of the peculiar allowance latest August 15 but e never pay as at now.’
The FWF say the failure to adjust workers’ earnings according to inflation and rising cost of essential goods and services don subject federal workers to unprecedented hardship. ‘While federal government dey make more money now, federal workers dem dey underpay and dem dey face unprecedented suffering and hardship,’ dem talk.
The group argue say increasing government revenues and budgetary allocations should translate to better welfare for workers, wey dem describe as ‘the engine room of governance.’ Dem also criticise the impact of petrol subsidy removal and naira depreciation on workers’ purchasing power. ‘Despite 500% increase for petrol price and deliberate devaluation of naira, only ₦40,000 dem add to salaries of each federal worker,’ dem stress.
The workers warn say the current situation fit undermine efficiency for public service and even encourage corruption. ‘This current situation no go promote efficiency, rather e go promote corruption, and e no good for our collective interest,’ dem talk.
The FWF say workers dey struggle to feed their families, pay for transportation and meet other basic needs. ‘Federal workers dey die for installments, we dey suffer for silence, our salary too poor, e no dey take us home,’ dem lament. Dem further claim say some workers don resort to borrowing from microfinance institutions and phone loan apps to get transportation money, while some no fit afford cooking gas again.
The group reject the idea of waiting until July 2027 for another minimum wage review, describing am as emergency wey need immediate intervention. ‘We no fit wait till July 2027 for new national minimum wage,’ dem talk.
The FWF propose ₦300,000 minimum wage based on dem own calculation of workers’ monthly expenses, including feeding, transportation, accommodation, family support, electricity bills, cooking gas, phone/data, water and other utilities. According to dem proposed structure, Level 1 Step 1 workers go earn ₦300,000; Level 2 go collect ₦330,000; Level 3 go collect ₦360,000. The proposal rise progressively to ₦1 million for Level 15, ₦1.2 million for Level 16 and ₦1.5 million for Level 17.
The group also call for payment of outstanding salaries and promotion arrears, immediate implementation of 40 per cent peculiar allowance, full consequential adjustment of minimum wage and payment of arrears wey go back to July 2024. Dem also demand permanent Cost of Living Allowance, Family Support Allowance, improved health insurance, car and housing loans, harmonisation of salaries and pensions, and make dem stop heavy taxation of workers’ allowances.
The FWF also call for free education for children of federal workers and pensioners for federal institutions, standardisation of pensions, social security payments for unemployed and underemployed Nigerians, and return of petrol subsidy. Dem urge National Assembly to urgently intervene, saying federal workers don ‘suffer enough.’ ‘As a matter of fact, e be like say e dey suicidal for federal workers to continue for this ugly situation,’ dem talk, urging lawmakers to act on ‘distress call and emergency situation.’
The group also ask National Assembly to investigate reports say part of workers’ contributory pension savings dey borrowed by executive. Dem call for immediate stoppage and refund if the allegation prove true. ‘We call for investigations and immediate stoppage cum refund if e true,’ dem say.
