The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF) has clarified that it did not approve, nor formally communicate, a 40 percent “peculiar allowance” for federal civil servants to the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) or any labour union.
According to a statement signed by Mrs Eno Olotu, Director of Press and Public Relations at the HCSF, the authority to issue and circulate such circulars lies exclusively with the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC). The relevant circular was released by the NSIWC on 23 April.
The HCSF added that the meeting convened by the Head of the Civil Service on 12 May was an interventionist, conciliatory session intended to foster dialogue between organised labour and the NSIWC, to promote mutual understanding and prevent a breakdown in industrial relations within the federal civil service.
The clarification follows earlier announcements that the Federal Government had approved an extensive welfare package for civil servants. The package includes a full duty‑tour allowance for approved training programmes, an upward review of the peculiar allowance across all grade levels under the Consolidated Salary Structure (CONPSS) and the Consolidated Research and Associated Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), higher estacode and book allowances, and other benefits. In addition, a N10 billion housing loan scheme was sanctioned to expand affordable home‑ownership options for public servants.
The HCSF reiterated its commitment to peaceful labour relations and ongoing collaboration with all stakeholders to sustain industrial harmony in the federal civil service.
The clarification underscores the procedural separation between the HCSF’s role in mediating labour issues and the NSIWC’s statutory responsibility for remuneration policies, a distinction that may shape future discussions on civil‑service remuneration reforms.
