The Federal Government has assured Nigerian public servants that payment of outstanding wage awards will commence before the middle of August, as efforts to clear pending workers’ entitlements enter the final stage.
The assurance was conveyed in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by Efe Ovuakporie, Head of Information and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Finance.
According to the statement, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, gave the assurance during a meeting with labour leaders led by the National President of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC), Trade Side, Kabiru Minjibir.
During the meeting, Oyedele stated that the Federal Government had already begun addressing several labour-related concerns before receiving the council’s formal submissions.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the President Bola Tinubu administration to honouring agreements reached with Nigerian workers through continuous dialogue and constructive engagement.
“The objective is to build confidence by ensuring the government honours every commitment made,” he said.
The minister disclosed that the process for releasing the outstanding wage awards had reached its final phase and expressed optimism that eligible workers would begin receiving the payments before mid-August.
He also directed the relevant government agencies and officials to immediately review the council’s submissions and accelerate action on all outstanding labour matters.
Oyedele acknowledged concerns raised by labour representatives over delays in implementing previous agreements and pledged that the government would prioritise transparency, regular consultations and timely execution of approved commitments.
In addition to the wage awards, the Federal Government assured workers that outstanding promotion arrears are currently being processed in accordance with approved administrative procedures.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Raymond Omachi, reiterated the ministry’s commitment to maintaining stronger collaboration with organised labour, assuring workers that approved financial entitlements would be processed without unnecessary delays.
Similarly, the Permanent Secretary for Special Duties, Mohammed Danjuma, revealed that significant progress had been made in addressing workers’ outstanding benefits.
According to him, Batch Seven promotion arrears, which were previously omitted, are now being processed alongside Batch Nine promotion arrears.
Danjuma further explained that the government is working closely with the relevant agencies to resolve issues relating to peculiar allowances and other outstanding labour-related concerns affecting public servants.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Director of Cash Management, Christiana Osho, confirmed that reconciliation of the outstanding wage award had been completed and that payment was now awaiting final release.
She stated that the process had reached its concluding stage and would soon be implemented.
Earlier, the JPSNC President, Kabiru Minjibir, urged the Federal Government to urgently resolve all pending labour issues affecting public servants across the country.
Among the unresolved matters highlighted by the labour leader were outstanding wage awards, promotion arrears, salary relativity for health workers and payment of peculiar allowances.
He stressed that prompt implementation of the government’s commitments would help strengthen industrial harmony, improve workers’ morale and boost public servants’ confidence in the administration’s commitment to their welfare.
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