Rita Odafe
A group of Nigerian federal workers, represented by the Federal Workers Forum (FWF), have called on the current administration, spearheaded by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to address their delayed wage payments.
The plea for the settlement of their outstanding wages spanning three months was voiced during a virtual meeting held by the federal workers.
Following the removal of the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), the federal government rolled out a wage award scheme for workers. The employees are now urging the government to fulfill the wage awards owed for the months of March, April, and May.
In a statement released after the meeting and shared with DAILY POST, the federal workers reiterated their stance on the issue, asserting their rights and highlighting their prolonged financial strain since the subsidy removal.
The National Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze, disclosed that, “Despite the cessation of wage awards for nearly four months, appeals to the federal government have been unheeded, prompting the federal workers to convene online and strategize on the way forward.”
Emelieze continued,
“This collective decision has resolved to initiate a series of peaceful protests at all federal government premises nationwide until the welfare concerns of federal workers and pensioners are addressed. The scheduled demonstrations are slated to commence on June 24th and persist until the matters of outstanding wage awards and the revised national minimum wage are satisfactorily resolved. Participation in these demonstrations is deemed obligatory for federal workers, with dissenters labeled as adversaries of the workforce.”
“The union advocates for solidarity from all labor unions, including the NLC and TUC, as federal workers embark on this continued campaign of peaceful protests throughout the country. The protracted delays in disbursing pensions and gratuities to retired federal workers are also condemned. Federal workers are reminded of their constitutional right to protest, emphasizing that non-compliance with the collective action is considered treachery. We assert our citizenship rights and reject the label of subjugation. Enough of exploiting the defenseless. The government’s debt to us must be settled. We have earned our entitlements; we are not supplicants.”
