N35,000 Wage Award: ‘We Are Not Beggars’ – Workers To FG

The Federal Workers Forum (FWF) has condemned the Federal Government over its delay in paying the N35,000 wage award fixed to cushion the effects of the economic crisis caused by the fuel subsidy removal.

The workers, on Thursday, alleged that the Federal Government paid only one month out of the six months promised to the workers.

The National Coordinator of FWF, Andrew Emelieze, in a statement, noted that the workers are passing through tortuous moments since the removal of the fuel subsidy.

He noted that minimum wage has remained at N30,000 monthly while prices continue to soar, and a bag of rice now is above N60,000.

Emelieze said, “Federal Government workers nationwide have been going through tortuous moments since the removal of petroleum subsidy. Our take-home pay has been made meaningless as a result of the rising cost of living crisis and the constant devaluation of our naira. Salaries have remained the same while prices of goods and services have tripled within this period.

“We are surprised to note that the meagre 35,000 naira wage award grudgingly given to the federal workers by the federal government to cushion the effects of the economic crisis caused by the subsidy removal has been stopped. The federal government paid only one month out of the six months promised.

“We, the federal government workers, feel betrayed by the federal government. Our employer has been very unfair and unfaithful to us. We have not been treated as if we matter. We are citizens, we are not beggars and we are supposed to be worthy of a fair wage. We the federal workers feel cheated.

“Civil servants have been financially embarrassed. Minimum wage has remained at 30,000 naira monthly while prices of everything continue to soar and a bag of rice now is above 60,000 naira.

“Most unfortunately, it is within this period that salaries are been delayed, some workers are being blocked from receiving salaries, promotion arrears not paid, etc.”