Labor unions have strongly criticized the Federal Government for reducing the supplementary budgetary allocation for wage awards to federal civil servants by N100 billion. The unions argue that this move contradicts the agreement previously reached with the government.
According to data from the Revised 2023 Supplementary Budget, the government made several adjustments, including replacing the controversial N5 billion presidential yacht votes with Navy barges, increasing the defense budget from N476.54 billion to N546.21 billion, and allocating N20 billion for the National Intelligence Agency’s capital supplementation.
The approved N2.1 trillion 2023 Supplementary Budget faced controversy, prompting amendments by the National Assembly due to seemingly extravagant items.
The initial proposal estimated a four-month wage award cost of around N210 billion, but the approved document revealed a reduction to approximately N110 billion for the Federal Government. The Ministry of Defence budget saw an increase from N476.54 billion to N546.21 billion, indicating an additional allocation of N69.67 billion.
The Nigerian Navy, initially involved in the controversial N5.095 billion for a presidential yacht, received an additional N25 billion, bringing its total allocation to N87.8 billion. The presidential yacht was replaced by a self-propelled barge with the same N5.095 billion allocation.
Further observations include increased allocations to the Defence Intelligence Agency, the Office of the National Security Adviser, and the education loan fund. Notably, the budget retained the N1.5 billion allocation for official vehicles for the First Lady’s office.
The Federal Government had previously granted a wage award of N35,000 to all federal workers, following discussions with organized labor unions. However, civil servants received a single payment of N35,000 for September only, prompting concerns about the government’s commitment to the agreed-upon wage increase.
Labour unions, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), warned the government against reducing the wage awards for federal workers, emphasizing the need for adherence to the agreement reached. The unions expressed their commitment to ensuring compliance with the agreed-upon wage increase.
Despite efforts to obtain a statement from the Presidency on the reasons behind the wage cut, no explanation was provided at the time of filing the report. The unions reiterated their stance that any attempt to reduce workers’ salaries would be resisted.