Labour leaders under the platform of Federal Workers Forum (FWF) have enjoined President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the cost of living crisis faced by workers across the country.
The labour leaders made this declaration via a statement made available to Afripost on Tuesday.
The statement was signed by the trio of Comrade Andrew Emelieze, National Coordinator of FWF, Comrade Itoro Obong, National Secretary of FWF and Comrade Razaq Yakubu Oseni
Publicity Secretary of FWF.
The trio in the statement noted that federal workers are facing a lot of challenges.
They also said that the current economic policies is affecting them negatively.
They used the opportunity to appeal to Tinubu to pay up all the arrears of the workers.
“We write to bring to your attention the numerous challenges faced by the federal workers. Sir, perhaps you might not know that since you removed subsidy on petrol exactly two years ago , the living conditions of the federal workers have continued to deteriorate. Sir, coupled with the devaluation of the naira and the different hikes in the price of almost everything, the life of the federal workers have been limited. It has been very tough and rough for the federal workers and we have been living on the edge with almost hope lost in the past two years. Sir , maybe you are not being feed with the right information, the situation is really very precarious and tormenting not just for the federal workers but also the unemployed, the retirees and the poor masses. It has been complains and lamentations in all sectors of our society.
“Sir, our people are facing serious cost of living crisis and this is an existential threat to our collective being. We urgently demand that you immediately address this deprivation faced by our people and reduce the mounting social tension in Nigeria.
“Our people cannot continue to lack and want due to current national policies that is making it impossible for our people to participate in the economic life of this country. Sir subsidy removal has not favoured the federal workers neither has it favoured the masses nor our collective good. Subsidy removal has only succeeded in removing money from our people and putting it in the hands of a few elites. Mr President, it is time to return the subsidy to the poor. The policy is one sided, it is making the poor poorer and the rich richer. Sir, there is need for you to make amends and adjust, subsidy removal on petrol have failed to yield your perceived expected results. Mr President, the truth be told and you know it Sir, where are the gains of subsidy removal? We cannot continue to experiment with our people. Trial by error is not a crime but it becomes a crime when it had obviously failed and there is no apologies for the misgivings.It is not out of place for you to admit this error and make corrections. Return the subsidy now to bring down the cost of everything and the revaluation of our naira. Our people have suffered enough, we cannot continue with this hardship. Subsidy removal on petrol was a mistake, Mr President, you can make the corrections now.
“Your Excellency, it is now ten months since the implementation of the new national minimum wage and the full implementation has been a problem. On the 23rd April,2025, the Accountant General of the federation in a statement issued to the mass media promised to ensure the full implementation of the new national minimum wage and since then, there seem not be anything on the table to suggest the willingness to ensure justice for the federal workers.We also ask what implementation? Where is the table for the minimum and maximum wage? Besides the consequencial adjustment,where at around forty thousand naira flat was added to the salaries of all federal public sector workers, nothing more in the so called new national minimum wage. It is also pertinent to note that the seventy thousand naira minimum wage is nothing to write home about and that the mere fact that 70,000 naira is the minimum wage , does not mean that the federal government should base her calculations on the benchmark. As we have seen some states are already paying above the benchmark. Moreso,the 70k minimum wage is a slave wage that will do nothing other than promote poverty among the workers.
“Not to fully implement the new national minimum wage ten months after its commencement should be a shame and also an embarrassment to the federal government of Nigeria. We therefore call on you to ensure the full implementation of the new national minimum wage latest 30th June,2025 and the payment of ten months arrears of the minimum wage differentials, Federal workers will not wait any further.
“We therefore call on the federal government to pay up all they owe us. Sir, is it not ridiculous that the federal government is owing poorly paid workers? Sir the federal workers forum will continue to encourage federal public sector unions to call for strikes and protest so long as the federal government continues to owe us.
“Your Excellency Sir, we pray you listen to us else in thirty days (30) time, all federal workers nationwide might have to resume work in your office at the Aso rock presidential villa Abuja. Please stop owing us, this is injustice, pay up all you owe the federal government workers, we are not begging, it our entitlements, we are citizens,we are workers, stop treating us like slaves.
“For the purpose of emphasis, we will like you to go through our earlier demands. Full implementation of the new national minimum wage and payments latest June 2025 salary and the payment of ten months arrears differentials since August 2024.
“Full payments of 40% perculiar allowance in the June salary and also ten months arrears balance since August 2024. Institution and payment of Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) latest june salary. End the selective payment of outstanding five months wage award and pay all MDA’s and workers yet to collect the first tranche of the payment.
“Particular emphasis on the federal judicial workers and other institutions yet to collect any wage award. Pay up all outstanding arrears of promotion arrears owed the federal workers over the years. Pay up all that the federal government owe the Federal Tertiary Institutions (FTI) and the Federal Health Sector workers
“Work towards a fair, just and living wage for the federal workers and pay hazard allowance where necessary. We call on the President not to touch our contributory pension, it is not meant for loans by the federal government. We need explanations why ten trillion naira loan was borrowed from our contributory pension fund without the knowledge of the workers and the pensioners.
“Return the leave bonus payment, pay 13th month incentives and institute long service award to the federal workers. Reconsider the heavy tax regime on the federal workers’ salary. We are looking forward to a swift response to this our humble request and reminder of what the federal government owe her workers”.