The Nigerian Government has begun paying the 40% salary rise arrears for civil servants.
Punch spoke to some federal civil servants on Saturday and learnt that workers started receiving bank alerts of the arrears on Saturday, April 22, 2023.
A high-ranking civil servant who spoke to our correspondent anonymously in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, noted that the arrears came in alongside the April 2023 salary.
“I received my own arrears today. Some of our other colleagues have also confirmed receipt of their arrears. It came in alongside our April salary.”
Another civil servant who confirmed the development via a chat with our correspondent in Ibadan said, “Yes, it is true. Though I am a teacher with a Federal Government school, I can confirm to you that I received my April 2023 salary alongside my arrears.”
President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration proposed a 40 per cent pay rise for workers to cushion the effects of the planned removal of fuel subsidy.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Productivity, Olajide Oshundun, who spoke to The PUNCH noted that the rise will be applicable to all workers from level 1 to 17.
Earlier in March, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, disclosed that the Federal Government had approved a pay raise for civil servants in the country.
He added that the pay rise had been included in the 2023 budget, noting that it would take effect from January 1, 2023.
Ngige described the pay raise as a peculiar allowance for civil servants in view of the current economic reality and it is meant to help government workers to cushion the effects of rising inflation, the rising cost of living, hikes in transportation fare, housing and electricity tariffs.