Federal government workers across Nigeria have expressed deep dissatisfaction over the recently approved ₦70,000 minimum wage, calling it a disgrace and a betrayal by both the government and labour unions. In an emergency online meeting held on Sunday, March 9, 2025, members of the Federal Workers Forum (FWF) strongly condemned what they described as systematic impoverishment of Nigerian workers and issued a 21-day ultimatum to the federal government to meet their demands.
The meeting, which lasted from 3 PM to 7 PM, was widely attended by federal workers across different states and sectors. The key agenda revolved around the worsening economic conditions, delayed salaries, and the ineffectiveness of labour unions in securing a living wage for their members.
Workers Condemn ₦70,000 Minimum Wage as "A National Embarrassment"
According to the communiqué released at the end of the meeting, federal workers expected a meaningful wage increase that would match the rising cost of living. However, the approved ₦70,000 minimum wage fell far below expectations, leaving workers demoralized and financially strained.
The communiqué states:
"The ₦70,000 minimum wage has shown clearly that Nigerian workers are not respected by the system. Despite this shameful wage, the government has continued to devalue the naira and increase the cost of essential goods, rendering the new wage meaningless."
The workers also accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of insensitivity to their plight, saying the government intentionally imposed a poor and exploitative wage on workers. They described the new minimum wage as a failed policy that has only pushed them deeper into poverty rather than improving their standard of living.
"NLC and TUC Have Betrayed Us" – Workers Pass Vote of No Confidence on Labour Unions
In a scathing attack on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), the Federal Workers Forum accused both unions of betraying the workforce by failing to negotiate a meaningful wage increase.
"It is shameful that NLC and TUC could not secure a living wage for Nigerian workers. They have remained silent while the government continues to oppress workers through anti-labour policies. The so-called labour leaders have been issuing empty threats while workers suffer."
The forum reaffirmed its earlier vote of no confidence on NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, and TUC President, Comrade Festus Osifo, demanding their immediate resignation.
"Both Ajaero and Osifo have proven to be a disgrace to the Nigerian labour movement. They have played to the gallery while workers are being cheated. The new minimum wage is the worst in Nigeria’s history, adding just ₦40,000 to salaries, which is also heavily taxed. Meanwhile, the government continues to increase the cost of living, making the wage increase useless."
Unpaid Wage Awards and Allowances: "Enough Is Enough"
Federal workers also decried the government’s failure to pay the five months' wage award arrears promised as a cushion for fuel subsidy removal. The communiqué highlights:
"It is most unfortunate that the government still owes us five months of wage awards, yet labour unions remain silent. Federal workers, especially in the health and education sectors, are still pleading for their rightful allowances with no response. This is unacceptable!"
Workers' Demands and 21-Day Ultimatum
At the end of the meeting, the Federal Workers Forum issued a seven-point demand and gave the federal government 21 days to take action or face continuous and indefinite protests at all federal secretariats and NLC/TUC offices nationwide.
The workers' demands include:
- Immediate payment of the five months' wage award arrears (₦35,000 monthly) owed all federal workers nationwide from March to July 2024.
- Investigations into salary delays and immediate implementation of measures to ensure timely payment of salaries.
- Immediate payment of all outstanding allowances and arrears owed to federal workers.
- A 50% Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) to help workers cope with inflation.
- A comprehensive review of the new minimum wage to reflect the current economic realities.
- Immediate halt to the devaluation of the naira, which has worsened economic hardship.
- Respect for workers' rights and an end to what they termed "slavery-like treatment" of federal employees.
Call for Mass Protest if Demands Are Not Met
The forum called on all federal workers to prepare for an indefinite nationwide protest if the government fails to meet their demands within the given timeframe.
"We are tired of suffering and psychological torture. If our demands are not met within 21 days, we will take our destinies into our own hands. NLC and TUC have failed us, but we will not fail ourselves."
Citing British wartime leader Winston Churchill, the communiqué ends with a rallying call:
"Better to fight than to surrender to the forces of oppression."
FEDERAL WORKERS FORUM
motto: service at all times.
11th March,2025.
COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF AN EMERGENCY ONLINE MEETING OF ALL FEDERAL WORKERS IN NIGERIA ON SUNDAY 9TH MARCH, 2025 BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 3PM TO 7PM.
The meeting was massively attended by federal government workers across the federation. The agenda revolves around the general good of the Federal Workers in the face of the high cost of living crisis in Nigeria and the failed new national minimum wage.
Federal workers had long hoped for a living wage but the last new national minimum wage negotiated have left the Federal Workers highly disappointed and demoralized.
The 70,000 naira minimum wage has shown clearly that the Nigerian workers are not in anyway respected by the system. Despite the very poor, ridiculous and shameful minimum wage, our government has continued to deliberately and systematically devalue our national currency and most especially through the nascent hike in the price of everything thus making rubbish of the already disgraceful 70,000 naira minimum wage .
Federal Workers are not happy that the federal government is subjecting the federal work force to penury through this horrible poor new national minimum wage.
Federal government workers are really very disappointed in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his intricacies in the imposition of this disastrous, poor and exploitative new national minimum wage, which we believe is an act of wickedness and conscienceless leadership.
The new national minimum wage should be a national embarrassment
The new national minimum wage has failed, it has not brought workers out of poverty rather it has plunged workers into more and more poverty. Therefore, a responsible government will review it immediately.
We the Federal Workers are badly demoralized and we are not happy the way the Federal government is handling our welfare. Salaries are always delayed and it is not taking us home.
Federal workers are more disappointment in our two labour centers, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC),The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and their affiliate industrial unions. It is actually very shameful that the so called labour, could not win a living wage for her members and that they have remained mute while government continues to attack the work force through ugly and callous policies. Labour leadership has rather been issuing empty threats and deceiving her members with pseudo and fruitless agitations meant only to divert the attention of workers from their monumental failures.
The NLC/TUC have continued to watch workers recede to misery and subhuman conditions only to do nothing but play in a play.
We had earlier passed a vote of no confidence on the labour leadership in Nigeria and by now we expect that Comrades Joe Ajearo and Festus Osifo to resign and bury their heads in shame.
Federal Workers posit that the NLC/TUC is clinically dead. The leadership of the NLC and the TUC have been deceiving the Nigerian workers. So called Comrades Ajaero , the NLC President and Osifo , the TUC President are both a disgrace to the labour movement in Nigeria. Both labour leadership have been blowing hot and cold, playiing to the gallery and the Nigerian workers are the ones paying the price for their absurdities , incompetence and sell out . The current new national minimum wage is the worst negotiation in the history of Nigeria. A negotiation where only 40.000 naira flat rate is the only thing added to the workers' salary; which was equally heavily taxed and most workers eventually got lesser than the 40,000 naira as real cash. Meanwhile government has continued to make nonsense of the new national minimum wage by hiking almost the price of everything in Nigeria, yet the NLC / TUC has continued to issue empty threats. This new national minimum wage has proven that workers are badly cheated by the Nigerian government and that there was a conspiracy between labour and the federal government to keep workers poorly paid.
Most unfortunately, our government is still owing us five months wage award arrears earlier promised to cushion the effects of petrol subsidy removal and labour is not doing anything, this is indeed very shameful. Government is also owing poorly paid workers lots of arrears of various allowances. In the crucial sectors of health and education, the workers have continued to plead for their legitimate dues all to no avail.
Federal workers also posit that the entire labour movement and the left have refused to call the NLC and the TUC to order. Thus ,the labour movement is part of the compromise and the betrayal of the working class in Nigeria.
Federal workers also expressed their disappointment in the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) , Student Union Governments (SUG), the entire civil society groups and activist for their passivity while Nigerians languish in horror. NAN is now a shadow of itself and the Nigerian student's movement is now a reactionary movement.
Posterity will judge the NLC/TUC, the industrial unions, NANS and the civil society for making it impossible for Nigerians to have a good life .
The Federal Workers hereby resolve as follows :
1. Give a 21 days ultimatum to the federal government to pay up the five months wage award (35,000 naira monthly) owed all federal workers nationwide from March to July 2024.
2. At the expiration of the twenty one days ultimatum, federal workers are to officially commence a continuous and permanent protest at all federal government secretariat and the NLC/TUC secretariat nationwide.
3.We call for investigations to continuous delay in the payment of salaries .
4. Immediate payment of all allowances and arrears owed all Federal Workers nationwide.
5 We demand 50% of our basic as Cost of Living Allowance (COLA)
6. Immediate review of the new national minimum wage .
7. The immediate cessation of the systematic devaluation of our naira by the federal government of Nigeria.
We urge the federal government to stop treating workers like slaves, we are citizens , the new national minimum wage has led to the financial embarrassment of federal workers , our government must rethink her attitude towards the Nigerian workers.
Finally, we call on all federal workers to start preparing for a continuous and permanent protest should the federal government refuse to meet our demands in the next twenty one days. This is a call for a revolt against hunger and hardship faced by the federal workers in Nigeria. Enough of this suffering and the psychological torture of the federal work force.NLC/TUC have failed us, we are taking our destines in our hands, we must not fail ourselves.
"Better to fight than to surrender to the forces of oppression "
... Winston Churchill
Comrade Andrew Emelieze
08054444090
National Coordinator
Federal Workers Forum (FWF)
Former Oyo State TUC Chairman
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