The Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, Trade Union Side (JNPSNC), has asked the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, to convene an urgent meeting over outstanding payments owed to federal workers.
Naijaonpoint reports that the council said the unresolved issues included the non-payment of wage awards for March and April 2026 and the delayed implementation of the 40 per cent peculiar allowance approved for eligible public servants.
It requested that the meeting be held on or before August 11, warning that continued delay could heighten tension and trigger industrial action across the federal public service.
The demand was contained in a letter signed by the council’s National Secretary, Gbenga Olowoyo, on behalf of its National Chairman, Benjamin Yanto.
According to the union, two earlier letters sent to the finance minister on the workers’ demands received no response.
The council said the proposed meeting would provide an opportunity for the government and labour representatives to resolve the outstanding welfare issues amicably.
“The national leadership expects that this meeting will help to address the above-stated outstanding issues to prevent palpable disquiet and the brewing industrial crisis,” the letter read.
The union explained that its demands centred on the implementation of the 40 per cent peculiar allowance approved by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission and the payment of the outstanding wage award for March and April.
It said the allowance was approved through a circular signed by the Executive Chairman of the commission, Eyo Nta, and was expected to take effect from May 1, 2026.
The council, however, said the directive had yet to be implemented for many federal workers.
It also maintained that the two months’ wage award should have been paid alongside workers’ salaries for March and April.
Previous Letters Ignored — Council
The JNPSNC recalled that it first wrote to the minister on May 5, requesting the payment of the outstanding wage award.
It said another letter was sent on July 9, demanding both the implementation of the peculiar allowance and the settlement of the wage award arrears.
“To the surprise of the national leadership, none of the letters was responded to, let alone addressing the sensitive issues raised therein,” the union stated.
The council alleged that the finance ministry’s prolonged silence had increased anxiety among public servants and created doubts about the government’s willingness to fulfil its obligations.
“It is informative to add that the entire public servants have viewed the silence of the Minister of Finance since his resumption as minister as a surreptitious and clandestine way of compromising the necessary essence of directing the Accountant-General of the Federation to effect the full payment of the two months’ outstanding wage award and the implementation of the circular on the 40 per cent peculiar allowance effective May 1, 2026,” the letter added.
Workers May Take Drastic Action
The council warned that its latest request should be regarded as an attempt to prevent the situation from degenerating into a wider labour dispute.
“This request should be seen as a proactive approach from the national leadership to avert drastic actions from workers due to your insensitive silence to our two previous letters,” it said.
The JNPSNC serves as the negotiating body for trade unions in the federal public service on matters involving salaries, allowances and conditions of service.
The latest warning adds to pressure on the Federal Government to implement agreements reached with organised labour following the removal of the petrol subsidy in 2023 and the resulting rise in the cost of living.
The government introduced a temporary monthly wage award as part of measures to cushion the economic impact on workers pending the implementation of a new national minimum wage.
Although some payments were made, labour unions have continued to demand the settlement of outstanding arrears, including the awards for March and April 2026.
The National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission also approved a 40 per cent peculiar allowance for eligible federal workers with effect from May 1, but labour leaders said several ministries, departments and agencies had yet to implement the directive.
