The Federal Government has assured federal civil servants that payment of the outstanding N35,000 wage award arrears will begin before August 15, while promotion arrears and other pending workers’ entitlements are also being processed.
The assurance was given by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, during a meeting with the leadership of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC), Trade Side, in Abuja.
According to a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance, the government said the approval process for the release of funds had reached its final stage.
“The necessary release for payment of the outstanding wage award is being concluded, and we are confident that eligible public servants will begin receiving the payment before the middle of the month,” Oyedele said.
The minister said the Tinubu administration remained committed to implementing agreements reached with organised labour and had already begun addressing several of the concerns raised by workers.
“When government makes commitments, it delivers. We are not in the habit of making promises that cannot be fulfilled. Where there are outstanding issues, we will give realistic timelines and ensure they are implemented,” he said.
Oyedele also confirmed that outstanding promotion arrears were being processed in line with established procedures.
He directed officials of the ministry to review all submissions from the labour council, engage relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and accelerate action on unresolved welfare issues.
The minister acknowledged concerns over delays in implementing previous agreements but assured workers that the government would continue to strengthen trust through transparency and regular engagement.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Raymond Omachi, also pledged closer collaboration with organised labour to ensure approved workers’ benefits are processed without unnecessary delays.
Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary for Special Duties, Mohammed Sanusi Danjuma, disclosed that Batch 7 promotion arrears, which were omitted during an earlier payment exercise, are now being processed alongside Batch 9.
He added that efforts were also underway to resolve outstanding issues relating to the 40 per cent Peculiar Allowance and other labour-related claims.
Providing an update on the payment process, Director of Cash Management, Christiana Osho, said reconciliation of the outstanding wage award had been completed and that payments would commence immediately after the release of funds.
Earlier, JPSNC President Kabiru Ado Minjibir urged the government to expedite payment of outstanding wage awards, promotion arrears, salary relativity for health workers and other welfare-related obligations.
The council said prompt implementation of the outstanding commitments would strengthen industrial harmony and restore workers’ confidence in the government’s commitment to their welfare.
President Bola Tinubu approved the N35,000 monthly wage award in October 2023 as a temporary measure to cushion the impact of petrol subsidy removal pending the implementation of a new national minimum wage.
Although payments began in late 2023, implementation became irregular, leaving several months unpaid. The Federal Government has now assured workers that the remaining arrears will be settled in phases.
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