“Say govt not taking workers issues seriously
*Suggests occupying of three arms zone, state government houses nationwide
By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
The Federal Workers Forum (FWF) yesterday, asked governors that are not ready to pay living wage to civil servants in their states to resign from office.
FWF in a communique issued at the end of an online meeting of Federal Workers nationwide, signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze, also charged President Bola Tinubu to effect payment of living wage for Federal Workers.
In the communique made available to journalists, FWF lamented that the Nigerian government has not been taking workers issues seriously, saying, “government don’t care about the welfare of her workers. We are really very disappointed in government’s disposition towards workers.
“We cannot continue suffering unnecessarily, we have endured this hardship enough. The federal government should pay up, three months wage award and other arrears of payment owed the federal workers”, it said.
FWF added, “it is obvious government is playing games on the new national minimum wage, this is truly very mindless and most insensitive.
“We the federal workers are particularly surprised that the federal government is treating us this way. As the federal work force and the engine room of governance, if truly government cares; federal workers should not be passing through the hardship and ordeal we are currently subjected to”.
FWF stressed, “As patriotic citizens, the federal workers have tried coping with the situation but it has been very difficult surviving the harsh economy orchestrated by the unilateral removal of fuel subsidy by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
” Prices of goods and services have increased by over 300%. Our national currency have been badly devalued. Federal workers now find it very difficult to feed and survive in Nigeria. Most unfortunately, government has stopped the payment of the ₦35,000 wage award in the month of February to the federal workers”.
It maintained further, “It is shameful that government now owes the federal government workers three months wage award. Government is also owing several arrears of allowances, promotion arrears and several other monies owed the federal workers”.
The forum then listed its demands to include that, ” Federal workers should ensure full compliance and complete shut down of all federal government secretariats nationwide. That Mr President and any state governor who cannot pay a living wage should resign”.
It listed others as “That if after five working days from the commencement of the indefinite strike, and government is not bulging, labour should lead the workers to occupy the three arms zone and state government houses nationwide.
“That the federal government is not permitted to borrow any amount from our contributory pension fund.We are in total support of the indefinite national strike action called by labour.
