𝗙𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄, 𝗦𝗹𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿

𝗕𝗬 𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗧𝗔 𝗩𝗢𝗜𝗖𝗘,

𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝘁𝗮, 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮

Federal workers across Nigeria are set to embark on a nationwide protest on Monday, demanding an urgent review of wages and improved welfare conditions.

The planned protest was announced by the Federal Workers Forum (FWF) following an emergency online meeting involving federal workers from different parts of the country.

In a statement issued in Abuja by the Forum’s National Coordinator, Mr Andrew Emelieze, the group said the peaceful protest would take place simultaneously at federal secretariats nationwide, including the picketing of selected government institutions.

The Forum also encouraged federal workers to wear black attire every Monday as a symbol of their dissatisfaction with insecurity and the worsening economic situation.

According to Emelieze, many federal workers are yet to fully benefit from the implementation of the N70,000 national minimum wage, while outstanding wage award balances, promotion arrears, 40 per cent peculiar allowance, and other entitlements remain unpaid.

He called on the Federal Government to immediately clear all outstanding payments and introduce measures to address the increasing cost of living.

“Continuing to pay N70,000 minimum wage under the current economic realities is unacceptable. The wage must be reviewed immediately,” he said.

The group also demanded stronger action against insecurity, including the release of kidnapped children in Oyo State and other victims across the country.

The Forum further appealed for the introduction of a Cost of Living Allowance (COLA), continuation of wage award payments, free education for children of federal workers in federal institutions, a functional car loan scheme, and special family support allowance for civil servants.

It also urged the government to reduce tariffs on essential goods and services to ease the financial burden on Nigerians.

Meanwhile, Emelieze criticised the silence of organised labour over workers’ challenges and called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to declare a two-day national strike and protest against hardship and insecurity.