Christmas Season Tension: Federal Workers Left Waiting For December Salaries

According to Punch, this delay follows a similar issue with November salaries, which many workers did not receive until the second week of December.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Several sources within the civil service attributed the delay to a switch to a new payment platform, while others blamed the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation for administrative issues.

The platform reported that during a visit to the Federal Secretariat on Tuesday, civil servants expressed frustration over the impact of the delays, particularly during the holiday season.

One civil servant, who requested anonymity in accordance with civil service rules, shared, “Honestly, I’m not traveling for the holidays this year because I don’t have the funds. Our November salaries came late, and by the time we were paid, many of us were already in debt. We hoped things would be different this December, but that’s not the case.”

Another anonymous civil servant said, “This delay isn’t surprising because our November salaries were late. Some of us tried to prepare in advance, but it’s still not enough. The price of food has increased, and I still have to buy clothes for my children. Receiving the December salary now would really help.”

An Assistant Director from an MDA outside Abuja commented, “The delay in salary payments is becoming excessive. It’s Christmas, yet some of us can’t even afford meat, let alone chicken for our families. The government needs to consider our well-being.”

The Federal Government has explained the reasons behind the recent salary delays, attributing them to shortfalls in allocations to some ministries and agencies.

Mr. Bawa Mokwa, the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Office of the Accountant-General, confirmed to Punch on Tuesday that payments began on Monday and that steps had been taken to correct the discrepancies.

He acknowledged last month’s delays, saying, “As you know, some people didn’t get their salaries on time. Some ministries experienced shortfalls. Yesterday, all payments were made, and even those with shortfalls were addressed and paid. It now depends on the banks.”

Mokwa explained that the implementation of the new minimum wage had impacted salary allocations for certain ministries, which led to the shortfalls. “When the new minimum wage was introduced, it affected the funds allocated for salaries in these ministries, causing the shortfall. The government has now addressed and augmented these allocations to ensure salaries were paid yesterday,” he clarified.

Dr. Oluwatoyin Madein, the Accountant-General of the Federation, also confirmed that salaries had been disbursed, but Mokwa noted that the timing of funds appearing in employees’ accounts depends on the individual banks.

Stay connected via Google News

Follow us for the latest travel updates and guides.