Organised labour union in the federal public service has issued a Friday ultimatum to the federal government to meet its demands of three months’ outstanding wage award and other pending allowances owed workers in ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs.
The Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council’s (JNPSNC) Trade Union Side leadership issued this ultimatum on Wednesday, threatening to force the eight civil service unions to take decisive action if they don’t fulfil its deadline of Friday, February 27, 2026.
Despite agencies allegedly being prepared to process payments once funds were available, the labour unions claimed that the federal government was purposefully withholding funds intended for workers.
The labour unions claim that the salary award issue, which has persisted for more than two years, started after the federal government approved a minimum wage of N70,000 following the elimination of gasoline subsidies.
The unions further revealed that three months have gone unpaid since July 2024, despite the fact that some payments were issued under persistent pressure, which has increased discontent among federal employees.
Addressing the matter in a letter to the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, the union stated: “This wage award has dragged on for over two years now since the implementation of (N70,000) Minimum Wage Payment was approved.”
They also recalled that the wage award was approved as a cushioning measure, following fuel subsidy removal and was to run until the commencement of the new minimum wage implementation in July 2024.
“It is beyond the imagination and expectations of federal workers that federal government left five months unpaid abinitio, not until there was much pressure, there and then, federal government effected the staggered payment of two months, leaving the balance of three months since July, 2024 unpaid,” it added.
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