Organised labour flatly rejected the Federal Government’s proposed ₦70,000 temporary monthly wage award on Wednesday, dismissing the six-month stipend as an insult to struggling households. The Trade Union Congress insisted that stopgap palliatives cannot fix the structural damage caused by soaring inflation and currency devaluation. Union leaders demanded an immediate, permanent overhaul of baseline public sector pay scales across all federal cadres. They suggested raising the floor for the lowest-paid worker to ₦300,000 per month.
Placating public servants with brief allowances avoids the statutory duty to provide economic security. Labour executives noted that several state governments already pay base salaries above ₦100,000 without federal prompting. The central government retains full legal freedom to lift base pay without dragging out negotiations for years. Pushing temporary cash handouts onto workers merely kicks structural reform down the road.
Broader labour trust in government promises remains deeply broken across every sector. The previous 2023 wage award was abandoned midway through its timeline, leaving billions in promised arrears unpaid to civil servants. Union officials warned that accepting another short-term payout risks repeating the same cycle of government default. Public servants want durable pay structures written into federal budget law.
Read Also: FG Approves N70,000 Monthly Transport Allowance
Medical workers face similar institutional neglect despite repeated strike warnings and formal peace pacts. Congress demanded the immediate execution of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure adjustment agreed with the Joint Health Sector Unions. That binding pact ended major hospital walkouts seven months ago, yet state administrators have failed to release funding. Health workers continue to perform critical duties while waiting for basic wage corrections.
Soaring living expenses have stripped ordinary workers of basic dignity across the country. Labour leaders urged federal authorities to enact direct policies that cut food prices, transport costs, and medical bills. Pumping temporary cash into a hyper-inflationary market offers zero real relief to families. The state must address systemic economic drivers rather than issue press releases.
The trade union executive will attend scheduled reconciliation talks before deciding whether to call a national strike. Union leaders warned that failure to deliver permanent salary increases will force a total shutdown of public services. State authorities face a tight deadline to produce clear budgetary commitments. Workers want economic justice, not temporary charity.