BY TIMOTHY AGBOR
President Bola Tinubu has directed all Federal Government Ministries, Agencies and Parastatals to commence the payment of N35,000 wage award to their workers.
The Chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Ekpo Nta, made this known in a circular dated October 19 and titled: “Grant of Wage Award by the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) for Federal Workers.”
The circular was addressed to the Chief of Staff to the President, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Honourable Ministers/Ministers of State Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; Chairmen, Federal Commissions; Federal Permanent Secretaries; Clerk of the National Assembly; Secretary, National Judicial Council; Secretary, Federal Judicial Service Commission; Directors-General and Chief Executives of Parastatals, Agencies and Governments-Owned Companies; Auditor-General for the Federation; Accountant-General of the Federation; Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation.
According to the commission, Federal Government workers would be paid N35,000 per month with effect from 1st September 2023 pending when a new national minimum wage is expected to have been signed into law.
The circular obtained by The Point read, “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, 2nd 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 1st September 2023 pending when a new national minimum wage is expected to have been signed into law.
“Accordingly, the implementation of the N35,000.00 per month wage award for all Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies that are treasury-funded will be funded from the treasury. Non-treasury funded Federal Government agencies are to implement same from their internally generated revenue (IGR) or statutory allocations.
“Enquiries concerning this circular should be directed to the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.”