The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has urged the federal government to, with immediate effect, pay all federal civil servants their ₦35,000 wage award as agreed during a meeting that was held following the removal of fuel subsidy.
TUC president Festus Osifo, who addressed journalists on Tuesday at the end of the congress’ emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, said their members in the federal civil service have not received the wage award since October.
According to him, the payment has been made just once, noting that the government has ceased paying their members the N35,000 for a couple of months.
He said, “We learned that they are currently putting some things in place to pay this money. But people are not ready to listen to excuses. All we want is that this money be paid into the accounts of our members until the new minimum wage is put in place.”
He noted that the hardship occasioned by the rising cost of living is having effects on workers, saying that it is unfair for the government to be asking Nigerians to tighten their belts while officials live in affluence.
He said, “We want the government to tighten their belts, governments at all levels, the Federal Government, the state, and local governments, because a situation where they are asking Nigerians to keep tightening their belts and they (government officials) are living in affluence is not acceptable.”
Osifo also decried the rising debt burden by the federal government, adding that the continuously increasing debt profile has put a huge burden on Nigerians.
He said, “And this year’s budget is also a deficit project. And the level of borrowing is growing daily. The amount of money we require is growing daily in such a way that the amount of money we require to service debt is not catching up with our national revenue.
And this is problematic. We are always told that the index-to-GDP ratio is accommodating. Yes, that is true, but the debts are revenue, which is worrisome. I want the government to look into this as soon and as fast as possible.”
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
GSK/P&G exit: Why investors are leaving Nigeria — Atedo Peterside
Founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank, Atedo Peterside has revealed cogent reasons investors are running away from…
How my client raped me during ritual at his house — Female traditional healer
A 26-year-old South African female traditional healer has narrated her horrifying experience of being allegedly raped by…
Naira falls to N1,099/$, closes gap to parallel market value
The official foreign exchange (FX) market on Friday oscillated downwards, thereby shrinking the gap/spread between the official and…
RIVERS CRISIS: Wike’s loyalists restrategise, insist on Fubara’s impeachment
IN spite of the intervention of President Bola Tinubu in the face-off between Governor Sim Fubara of Rivers State and his predecessor, Mr Nyesom Wike, there are…
Why the north suddenly cares about northern lives
It should be made clear from the outset that I am overwrought with immense grief by the heartbreaking but…
Naked Olympics: Sporty naturists take to the beach in Rio to compete at the Naked Olympics
A group of brave nudists are competing in Rio’s NAKED Olympics every weekend, in a stripped back version of…
