Labour unions in Nigeria have criticized the Federal Government for slashing the supplementary budgetary allocation for wage awards to federal civil servants by N100bn. The unions warned that this action was not in line with the agreement reached with the government. The supplementary budget, which faced controversy and subsequent amendments by the National Assembly, showed a reduction in the allocated amount for a four-month wage award from N210bn to N110bn.
Additionally, the revised budget revealed an increase in the defence budget from N476.54bn to N546.21bn, with specific allocations for the Nigerian Navy, Defence Intelligence Agency, and other security-related expenses. Labour leaders expressed dissatisfaction with the reduction in the wage award and vowed to resist any attempt to diminish workers’ salaries.
This development follows the approval of the N2.1tn 2023 Supplementary Budget, which initially faced controversy due to perceived extravagant items. The wage award was part of the government’s response to the concerns of labour unions, granting a N35,000 wage increase to all federal civil servants. However, the recent reduction has sparked criticism from the unions, emphasizing the need for the government to fulfill its agreements.