By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
Barely days after organised labour warned of a brewing industrial crisis over unpaid wage awards, the Federal Government has assured federal civil servants that payment of the outstanding N35,000 wage award arrears will commence before the middle of August, saying the necessary release for the exercise is at its final stage.
The assurance came during a meeting between the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, and the leadership of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, Trade Side, led by its National President, Kabiru Ado Minjibir, in Abuja, according to a statement issued on Wednesday, 5 August, 2026 by the Head of Information and Public Relations Unit of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Efe Ovuakporie.
The meeting followed renewed concerns by organised labour over delays in implementing workers’ welfare agreements, including unpaid wage awards, promotion arrears and salary-related allowances.
Days earlier, the Negotiating Council had urged the minister to convene an urgent meeting over the delayed payment of two months’ wage award and the implementation of the 40 per cent Peculiar Allowance, warning that it sought an audience on or before Tuesday, 11 August,2026 and that failure to resolve the issues could spark unrest among public servants.
In a letter addressed to the minister and signed by the National Secretary of the council, Gbenga Olowoyo, on behalf of the National Chairman, Benjamin Yanto, the union had expressed disappointment that two previous letters received no response.
“The national leadership expects that this meeting will help to address the above-stated outstanding issues to prevent palpable disquiet and the brewing industrial crisis,” it said.
Responding, Oyedele said the administration had already begun addressing several issues raised by labour even before receiving its formal communication, stressing that President Bola Tinubu’s administration remained committed to honouring agreements reached with workers.
“When the government makes commitments, it delivers. We are not in the habit of making promises that cannot be fulfilled. Where there are outstanding issues, we will give realistic timelines and ensure they are implemented,” he said.
The minister disclosed that the approval process for the release of funds had reached its concluding stage.
“The necessary release for payment of the outstanding wage award is being concluded, and we are confident that eligible public servants will begin receiving the payment before the middle of the month,” he said.
Oyedele also assured labour leaders that outstanding promotion arrears were being processed in accordance with established procedures, and directed ministry officials to review all submissions presented by the council, engage relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, and fast-track action on unresolved labour issues.
Acknowledging labour’s frustration over delays in implementing previous agreements, he said the government would continue to build confidence through transparency and regular engagement.
“Our objective is to build a system where issues are resolved proactively. We want workers to have confidence that once the government gives its word, it will honour that commitment,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Raymond Omachi, pledged closer collaboration with organised labour to ensure approved entitlements are processed without unnecessary delays, stressing that constructive dialogue remains the most effective path to sustaining industrial harmony.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, Mohammed Sanusi Danjuma, disclosed that Batch 7 promotion arrears, omitted during an earlier payment exercise, were now being processed alongside Batch 9, expressing confidence that affected workers would soon receive their entitlements.
He added that the government was also working with relevant agencies to resolve issues surrounding payment of the Peculiar Allowance and other outstanding claims.
Providing an update on the payment process, the Director of Cash Management, Christiana Osho, said reconciliation of the outstanding wage award had been completed, with the payment release at its final stage and eligible workers to begin receiving arrears immediately after the release was effected, while processing of promotion arrears would continue according to the approved schedule.
Minjibir urged government to expedite action on pending entitlements, identifying the outstanding wage award, promotion arrears, salary relativity for health workers and other unresolved welfare issues as matters requiring urgent attention, adding that timely implementation would strengthen industrial harmony and boost workers’ confidence.
Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to sustained dialogue to ensure prompt resolution of outstanding labour issues across the federal public service.
The N35,000 monthly provisional wage award was approved by President Tinubu in October 2023 as a temporary measure to cushion the impact of petrol subsidy removal and rising cost of living, agreed with organised labour to avert a nationwide strike.
Although payments began in late 2023, implementation became irregular, leaving several months outstanding. In April 2025, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation announced that the five outstanding months would be paid in instalments after workers received their April salaries, with the first tranche paid in May 2025 and the second in August 2025, leaving remaining instalments to be settled in phases.
