From Moshood Olawale Karim
A workers’ group, the Federal Workers Forum (FWF), has expressed concern that the N35,000 wage increase given to workers by the Federal Government to alleviate the economic crisis caused by the fuel subsidy removal has been discontinued.
According to the workers, the government only paid one month out of the six months promised. The FWF National Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze, revealed in a statement made available to Uptown Press, that the workers have been facing difficult times since the removal of fuel subsidy.
He noted that the minimum wage has remained at N30, 000 monthly while prices of goods and services have tripled within this period.
He further stated that salaries have remained the same while the cost of living continues to rise, leaving civil servants financially embarrassed.
The statement reads: “Federal Government workers nationwide have been going through tortuous moments since the removal of petroleum subsidy. Our take home pay has been made meaningless as a result of the rising cost of living crisis and the constant devaluation of our naira. Salaries have remained the same while prices of goods and services have tripled within this period.
“We are surprised to note that the meagre 35,000 naira wage award grudgingly given to the federal workers by the federal government to cushion the effects of the economic crisis caused by the subsidy removal have been stopped. The federal government paid only one month out of the six months promised.
“We the federal government workers feel betrayed by the federal government. Our employer has been very unfair and unfaithful to us. We have not been treated as if we matter. We are citizens, we are not beggars and we are supposed to be worthy of a fair wage. We the federal workers feel cheated.
“Civil servants have been financially embarrassed. Minimum wage has remained at 30,000 naira monthly while prices of everything continue to soar and a bag of rice now is above 60,000 naira.
“Most unfortunately, it is within this period that salaries are been delayed, some workers are being blocked from receiving salaries, promotion arrears not paid, etc,”
