FG Fixes August 15 Deadline to Clear Outstanding ₦35,000 Wage Award
The Federal Government has assured federal civil servants that all outstanding ₦35,000 wage award arrears will begin to be paid before August 15, saying arrangements for the release of funds have reached the final stage. The announcement is expected to bring relief to thousands of workers who have waited months for the balance of the temporary wage support.
The assurance was given during a meeting between the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, and the leadership of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC) in Abuja. The meeting focused on unresolved welfare issues affecting federal workers, including unpaid wage awards, promotion arrears and other outstanding entitlements.
Government officials said the payment process is almost complete, expressing confidence that eligible workers would start receiving the outstanding wage award before the middle of August. They added that the administration remains committed to fulfilling agreements reached with organised labour.
The minister stated that the government would continue to honour promises made to workers, stressing that outstanding obligations would be implemented within realistic timelines rather than making commitments that cannot be fulfilled.
Beyond the wage award, the Federal Government disclosed that work is also progressing on the payment of outstanding promotion arrears. Officials said the remaining batches are currently being processed in line with existing procedures to ensure affected workers receive their entitlements.
Representatives of organised labour welcomed the engagement but urged the government to speed up action on all pending welfare issues, including salary relativity for health workers, promotion arrears and other allowances yet to be settled.
Officials of the Ministry of Finance also confirmed that reconciliation of the outstanding wage award had been completed, with the final release of funds awaiting completion before payments commence. They assured workers that the process would be concluded without unnecessary delay.
The latest commitment is expected to ease growing concerns among federal civil servants over delayed payments, while both the government and labour leaders pledged to continue dialogue to resolve outstanding welfare matters and maintain industrial harmony.