Abuja Civil Servants Urge FG To Settle ₦35,000 Wage Arrears

Civil servants in Abuja have called on the Federal Government to urgently settle the remaining four months of the N35,000 wage award arrears owed to them.

Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday, several workers expressed frustration over the continued delay in payment, despite the government’s earlier commitment to clear the arrears.

The Federal Government had, on April 28, announced plans to pay the outstanding five months of the N35,000 monthly wage award in instalments, following an earlier disbursement of five months’ payments. The announcement was made by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) through its Director of Press and Public Relations, Mr. Bawa Mokwa.

According to Mokwa, the payment would be made monthly, with the first instalment scheduled to follow the April 2025 salary. He emphasized the government’s commitment to fulfilling its obligations related to employee welfare and remuneration.

However, NAN reports that after the initial payment in May, no further disbursements have been made, raising concerns among civil servants.

Dr. Uche Anune, a civil servant, criticized the delay, urging the government to act proactively rather than waiting for public agitation before fulfilling its promises.

“There seems to be a trend where nothing happens until people start protesting or complaining,” Anune said. “The government made the promise willingly; they should honour it.”

Mr. Joseph Edeh also expressed disappointment, questioning the sincerity of the government’s pledge.

“They said five months were outstanding. After paying just one month, they stopped. Why treat civil servants this way?” Edeh asked.

“They should pay the remaining four months at once and put the matter to rest.”

Miss Franca Ofili echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the financial strain the delay has caused.

“That N35,000 can make a real difference for many families,” she said. “The government should fulfil its promise and ease the burden on workers.”

The civil servants are now urging the government to expedite the payment of the remaining wage award arrears in a lump sum, rather than spreading it over several months, to restore trust and support workers’ financial stability.