In a significant move to ease the burden caused by the removal of fuel subsidy, President Bola Tinubu has given his approval for a wage award of N35,000 to civil servants across the country. This laudable decision aims to cushion the impact of the subsidy removal and provide relief to hardworking individuals.
The announcement was made through a memo issued by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Ekpo U. O. Nta. The memo clarified that this wage award applies to all federal civil servants and will be effective from September 1, 2023.
The memo, which was dated October 19, 2023, was addressed to several high-ranking officials, including the Chief of Staff to the President, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Ministers and Ministers of State, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Chairmen of Federal Commissions, Federal Permanent Secretaries, Clerk of the National Assembly, Secretary of the National Judicial Council, and Secretary of the Federal Judicial Service Commission.
Furthermore, the memo was circulated to Directors-General and Chief Executives of Parastatals, Agencies, and Government-Owned Companies, the Auditor-General of the Federation, the Accountant-General of the Federation, and the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation.
According to the memo, the wage award has been granted in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) on October 2, 2023. This agreement was reached to address the concerns raised by the withdrawal of subsidy on the price of premium motor spirit (PMS).
In the memo, it states, “I refer to the Memorandum of Understanding reached between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) on Monday, 2 October 2023 as a result of the dispute arising from withdrawal of subsidy on the price of premium motor spirit (PMS) and hereby convey the approval of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the grant of a wage award of N35,000:00 (thirty-five thousand Naira) only per month to all Federal Government workers with effect from 1 September 2023 pending when a new national minimum wage is expected to have been signed into law.”
This decision comes after the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and other organized labor unions embarked on an industrial action to protest against the hardships caused by the removal of fuel subsidy. After negotiations, the strike was eventually suspended for a period of one month when the Tinubu-led administration offered N5 billion to provide palliatives to the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
President Tinubu’s approval of the N35,000 wage award demonstrates a commitment to easing the financial strain on civil servants and acknowledges their valuable contributions to the nation. This gesture will undoubtedly bring some relief to affected individuals in these challenging times.
