Government directs settlement of public workers' pending salary entitlements by mid-August deadline

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Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele

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By Victor Ahiuma-Young

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ABUJA— The Federal Government has directed that the outstanding two-month wage award owed federal civil servants be paid on or before August 15, 2026, following a high-level meeting between the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, and the leadership of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, JNPSNC.

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The breakthrough, reached at the last minute, effectively averted a planned labour confrontation after the JNPSNC suspended its August 11 ultimatum issued the Minister’s office over unresolved workers’ welfare issues.

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The meeting, held yesterday was personally chaired by the minister and attended by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance (Accounts); the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance (Special Duties); the Chief of Staff to the Minister; directors; special advisers; and other senior officials of the ministry.

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The labour delegation was led by Comrade Kabiru Ado, National President of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, MHWUN; and National Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, who represented the National Chairman of the JNPSNC.

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Also in attendance were the National Secretary of the JNPSNC and General Secretary of the Nigeria Civil Service Union, NCSU, Comrade Olowoyo Gbenga; the National Assistant Secretary of the JNPSNC and General Secretary of MHWUN, Comrade Kiyawa; and other labour leaders.

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After extensive deliberations, both parties agreed that the outstanding two-month wage award would be paid on or before August 15.

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The minister also assured labour leaders that the federal government would facilitate the payment of the long-awaited 40 per cent peculiar allowance through a supplementary budget.

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According to the resolution, the ministry of finance will work with the Budget Office to secure the necessary funding for the allowance.

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The meeting also revisited the issue of outstanding promotion arrears, with government agreeing that payment processes for batches seven and nine had been resolved.

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Speaking during the meeting, the minister emphasised the need for continuous engagement with organised labour to strengthen cordial working relationships with union leaders and ensure timely resolution of workers’ welfare issues.

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Earlier, Kabiru Ado, who represented the National Chairman of JNPSNC, Benjamin Anto Uyanto, reassured the minister of the council’s commitment to protect workers’ interests.

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He said the JNPSNC remained ready “to ensure workers welfare are not subjugated.”

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In his remarks, the National Secretary of the JNPSNC, Olowoyo Gbenga, said the intervention of the union leadership was aimed at preventing an industrial crisis.

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He said: “The action of the national leadership of JNPSNC was to prevent national embarrassment to the federal government because workers were ready to occupy the office of the minister spontaneously.”

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Speaking after the meeting, Olowoyo announced that the August 11 ultimatum was suspended, following the agreements reached with the government.

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He said: “With the successful meeting with the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, the ultimatum of August 11 issued ab initio has been suspended.”

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However, he warned that organised labour would closely monitor the implementation of the resolutions reached at the meeting.

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