Labour Unions Express Concerns: Labour Unions React As Federal Government Slashes Wage Award By N100 Billion In The Revised Budget.

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The data retrieved from the recently revised 2023 Supplementary Budget reveals notable changes, including the replacement of the controversial N5 billion presidential yacht allocation with funds for Navy barges…CONTINUE READING

The Ministry of Defence’s budget increased from N476.54 billion to N546.21 billion, with additional allocations for the Nigerian Navy and capital supplementation for the National Intelligence Agency.

In the revised budget, the presidential yacht funds were redirected towards the purchase of a self-propelled barge worth N5.095 billion.

The Nigerian Navy received an extra N25 billion, raising its total allocation to N87.8 billion. Additional allocations were designated for constructing buildings, purchasing tugboats, and enhancing the Defence Intelligence Agency’s budget.

Despite reductions in certain areas, such as the education loan fund and the Labour unions’ four-month wage award, the budget still includes allocations for the purchase of official vehicles for the First Lady’s office and increased funds for the Office of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

The revised document indicates that the Federal Government’s effort to appease labour unions with a N35,000 wage award for all federal workers has faced a reduction from the proposed N210 billion to N110 billion.

Labour union representatives expressed concerns over potential reductions in workers’ salaries and emphasized the need for the agreed-upon wage award to be upheld.

In response to the development, Chris Onyeka of the Nigeria Labour Congress emphasized the importance of maintaining the agreed-upon wage award, while Benson Upah highlighted the lack of prior communication from the government.

Tommy Etim of the Trade Union Congress warned against playing games with the wage award, emphasizing that it was a binding agreement with organized labour, with the instrument of agreement deposited in court.