Federal Gov’t Pays Second Tranche Of Wage Award Arrears

The Federal Government has paid the second tranche of the outstanding N35,000 wage award arrears to its workers.

The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) made this known in a statement issued in Abuja.

According to the OAGF, the Federal Government had earlier paid one month out of the initial five months outstanding arrears, explaining that with the payment of the second tranche, it remains three tranches to clear the arrears.

Director of Information at the OAGF, Bawa Mokwa assured that the federal government has not reneged on payment of the wage award arrears, stressing that the government will continue to pay the wage award in instalments of N35,000 per month until the outstanding arrears is totally paid.

The wage award was part of the relief measures introduced by the federal government in October 2023 to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal and other economic reforms under the President Bola Tinubu administration.

The N35,000 monthly allowance was approved for federal workers following negotiations with organised labour after agitations that accompanied rising cost of living.

Initially expected to last for six months, the disbursement of the award faced delays due to funding constraints and verification bottlenecks within the public payroll system.

The first tranche was eventually paid earlier this year after sustained pressure from labour unions and civil society organisations.

While the award is seen as a temporary palliative, labour leaders have repeatedly called on the federal government to expedite payment of the arrears and conclude negotiations on a new national minimum wage to address structural wage inadequacies.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have both emphasised that piecemeal payments of temporary wage relief do not address the long-term challenges facing Nigerian workers amid double-digit inflation and declining purchasing power.

Despite the concerns, government officials have consistently reaffirmed their commitment to honouring the wage award in full.

The Accountant General’s office noted that the phased payment aligns with current fiscal realities and budgetary provisions, while assuring workers of transparency in the process.