Many federal civil servants have called on the Federal Government to clear the outstanding two months arrears of the N35,000 wage award to ease economic hardship.
The workers made the call in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.
They decried the delay in the payment of the arrears, saying the money was needed to cushion the effect of the worsening economic situation in the country.
Mr Ibrahim Abbas, a medical worker, said there was no justifiable reason for the prolonged delay in clearing the outstanding arrears.
According to him, government workers are facing severe financial challenges and require immediate relief.
“The condition of government workers has never been this bad. The Federal Government needs to take all necessary steps to clear the outstanding arrears of the wage award,” he said.
Abbas, however, commended the Federal Government for the recent payment of the third tranche of the wage award.
Another civil servant, Mr Patrick Ugo, also urged the Federal Government to settle the arrears without further delay.
He said the current minimum wage of N70,000 was insufficient to meet the rising cost of living.
“The government should realise that the present minimum wage of N70,000 is unrealistic. The wage award will give workers some relief.
“I urge the Federal Government, through the Accountant-General of the Federation, to pay the outstanding two months, totalling N70,000, with the March salaries,” he said.
Mr Sule Aliu also appealed to the government to make the N35,000 wage award a permanent addition to the monthly salaries of civil servants.
According to him, such a move would significantly reduce the financial pressure faced by workers.
Similarly, Mr Sani Garba urged the Federal Government to always fulfil its obligations to civil servants promptly to avoid labour unrest.
Garba said government should consider the prevailing economic realities and make the wage award a permanent addition to workers’ salaries.
NAN reports that the wage award was introduced in 2023 as a temporary measure to cushion the effects of the removal of fuel subsidy while negotiations for a new national minimum wage were ongoing.
The Federal Government had earlier announced plans to pay five months of outstanding arrears in instalments of N35,000 monthly.
The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) said five months of the wage award had been paid in instalments, while the remaining balance would be cleared gradually.
According to the OAGF, the government remains committed to fully implementing policies and agreements on staff remuneration and welfare.
However, after the first instalment was paid in May 2025, the second was paid in August 2025, while the third tranche was recently paid on March 6.
This leaves two months outstanding, amounting to N70,000.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government said it remained committed to clearing the remaining arrears.
Mr Bawa Mokwa, Director of Press and Public Relations at the OAGF, said payment of the arrears was subject to availability of funds.
“Contrary to insinuations in some quarters, the Federal Government has not reneged on payment of the wage award arrears. The payment of the third tranche clearly attests to this.
“The Federal Government will continue to pay the wage award in instalments of N35,000 per month until the outstanding arrears are exhausted,” Mokwa said. (NAN)
