Tag: Civil Service

Civil servants tackles FG over N35,000 wage award arrears

Many civil servants in Abuja have urged the Federal Government to clear the outstanding four months arrears of N35,000 wage award owed them.

The civil servants spoke NAN on Monday in Abuja. They spoke against the backdrop of the unexplained delay in the payment of the wage award.

On April 28, the Federal Government announced that it would pay the outstanding five months N35,000 wage award arrears to workers.

The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) made the announcement in a statement issued by Mr Bawa Mokwa, its Director of Press and Public Relations.

Mokwa said that the Federal Government had earlier paid five months wage award in installments.

He said that the outstanding arrears would be paid in installments of N35,000 per month for five months.

According to him, the first installment of the outstanding wage award arrears will be paid after the April 2025 salary.

“The wage award arrears will not be paid with the April 2025 salary; it will come immediately after the salary is paid, and it will be paid for the next five months, ” he said.

He said that the Federal Government was determined to fully implement all policies and agreements regarding staff remuneration and welfare to enhance productivity and efficiency.

After paying the N35,000 in May, the OAGF has not made any other wage award payment to civil servants.

Dr Uche Anune, a Civil Servant, said that the government should not wait until workers feel agitated or start complaining before they do something.

“I am seeing a pattern that whenever there is anything at stake, the government tends to be relaxed about it until some people start agitating or engaging in some form of protest before they act.

“That should not be the case,” he said.

According to Anune, the Federal Government was not under duress when it made that pledge to clear the arrears.

“The honourable thing is to respect that promise and just do what is right,” he said.

Mr Joseph Edeh, urged the government to clear the outstanding four months arrears of the wage award rather than paying monthly.

Edeh said the delay had casted doubts on the sincerity of the Federal Government.

“On the issue of this N35,000 wage, award, honestly, as a civil servant and as a Nigerian, I have lost faith.

“They told us that we had an outstanding of five months, after paying one month they stopped. Why are they treating us like this? Nobody is happy about this,.

“What they should do is to clear the areas; pay the remaining four months at once and forget about it,” he said.

Miss Franca Ofili urged the Federal Government to fulfill its promise and save civil servants the burden of expectation.

“The government should try and the arrears because that 35,000 can go a long way to solve a lot of their financial problems. We need the money, they should clear the outstanding four months arrears at once, ” she said.

July 21, 2025
“Why some civil servants are yet to receive June salary”

Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) has disclosed that it is addressing recent complaints regarding the non-receipt of June salaries by some civil servants.

According to a statement issued by Bawa Mokwa, the Director, Press and Public Relations of the OAGF, the salary delay was particularly experienced by those whose accounts are domiciled with Zenith Bank Plc.

“Upon investigation, it was discovered that the salary payments for employees across various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) were affected due to a technical network glitch in the bank.

“The OAGF understands the anxiety and frustration this situation has caused, particularly given the importance of timely salary payments to the livelihoods and responsibilities of our valued public servants.

“We deeply regret the inconvenience this unfortunate incident has caused and wish to assure all affected employees that immediate steps have been taken to resolve the issue.” Mokwa said.

He said that the OAGF was currently working closely with the relevant service providers and stakeholders to ensure that the failed payments were reprocessed without further delay.

“We appeal to all affected staff of the federal public service to remain calm and rest assured that no effort will be spared in ensuring everyone receives their rightful salaries.

“Concrete steps have already been taken to isolate the problem and arrangements are underway to reprocess the failed payments in the shortest possible time.

“The welfare of Federal Government employees remains a top priority of the OAGF,” he said.

Mokwa said that the office was also working to continue payment of the outstanding four months arrears of N35,000 wage award to all affected government workers after resolving the June salary delay.

He said that the OAGF remained fully committed to transparency, accountability, and efficiency in all payroll operations.

“We are open to continuous engagement with stakeholders to ensure sustained improvements in our service delivery. Your patience and understanding during this difficult time are highly appreciated,” he said.

July 11, 2025
Tinubu orders full personnel audit in civil service

President Bola Tinubu has ordered a full personnel audit and skills gap analysis across the Federal Civil Service to improve capacity and overall performance.

He gave the directive on Thursday in Abuja during the maiden edition of the 2025 International Civil Service Week.

Tinubu said it was essential to assign competent individuals to appropriate roles for an efficient and effective public service.

“We can only guarantee a high-performance culture by placing the right people in the right positions.

“To that end, I have authorised a full Personnel Audit and Skills Gap Analysis across the Federal Civil Service to build capacity,” he said.

He urged stakeholders to complete the exercise promptly to enable reforms and create a more agile, skilled and responsive civil service.

Tinubu described the civil service as “the engine room” for delivering public goods and effective governance throughout Nigeria.

“Our civil servants are the quiet architects of stability, innovation, and public trust,” he added.

He said the audit was part of a wider plan to align the civil service with global standards and digital transformation.

Tinubu emphasised the importance of accurate and secure data to support evidence-based policy and international benchmarking.

“Data is the new oil. Unlike oil, it becomes more valuable when refined and responsibly shared,” the President stated.

He instructed MDAs to publish verified data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.

Tinubu noted progress under the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025.

He commended the Head of Civil Service, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, for leading reforms in digitalisation and staff development.

“Launching Service-Wise GPT and other innovations reflects exceptional leadership,” the President said.

Walson-Jack said the conference was entirely self-funded through strategic partnerships and creativity.

“If Nigeria must lead Africa, our Civil Service must lead first,” she declared.

The conference was with the theme ‘Rejuvenate, Innovate and Accelerate,’ reflecting a drive for renewal.

June 27, 2025
Most Nigerian civil servants lack 21st century skills – Walson-Jack

Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs Didi Walson-Jack has said most Nigerian civil servants lack the requisite 21st-century skills required for effective service delivery.

Walson-Jack stated this at the opening of a two-day study tour for heads of service from all the 36 states of the federation on Monday in Abuja.

The study tour was part of the activities marking the 2025 Civil Service Week.

She, therefore, advised states embarking on personnel audits to also assess the skill gaps in their workforce.

“The truth is, most of our civil servants, even at the federal level, do not have the right skills for a 21st-century workforce.

“We recruited many officers years ago, but with today’s technologically-driven world, recruitment must be guided by relevant modern skills,” she said.

Walson-Jack said that the Federal Government was preparing to conduct a personnel audit and skills gap analysis to guide future recruitment decisions.

She noted that a study by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) identified 39 essential skills that needed to be infused into Nigeria’s civil service.

Walson-Jack emphasised the need for urgent reforms to address the deficiencies, adding that the journey toward a fully-modernised civil service required commitment at all levels.

“While we celebrate the progress made, we must remain mindful of the work that lies ahead. Today’s gathering is not just a moment of reflection, but a renewed call to action,” she said.

The HCSF recalled a recent study tour to Singapore, describing it as ‘inspiring’ and vital in shaping the ongoing Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP 2021–2025).

She said that the objectives of the current tour were to strengthen strategic planning, service delivery and human capital development through the adoption of digital tools and data-driven systems.

“We must strengthen collaboration between federal and state civil services under the vision of ‘One Service, Many Jurisdictions’,” she stated.

In her remarks, the Head of Service of Bayelsa, Mrs Biabelemaye Onyema, said that the tour was a peer-review opportunity among states.

“We are learning from one another; whatever we observe that is working well can be adopted and replicated in our respective states,” she said.

Also speaking, the Head of Service of Katsina State, Mr Falalu Bawale, commended Walson-Jack for the initiative, saying that such engagements would enhance civil service reform at both state and federal levels.

“This is part of an ongoing effort to address issues affecting the civil service nationwide,” Bawale said.

June 23, 2025
MDAs to go paperless fully by December – HCSF

Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), has called on Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to fully transition to paperless operations before the end of 2025.

Walson-Jack made the call on Wednesday in Abuja at a world press conference ahead of the 2025 International Civil Service Week and African Public Service Day, scheduled to hold between June 25 and June 26.

She said that the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation. Plan (FCSSIP 25) guides civil service reforms.

She said that going digital by civil servants formed part of the FCSSIP 25 agenda, and was due to conclude on Dec. 31.

“Realising that FCSSIP 25 ends this year, we resolved to accelerate the implementation of its core pillars, especially digitalisation.

“We are urging all MDAs to go paperless. This is not just a directive, it is something we have already implemented.

“The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation has been paperless even before I assumed office, ” she said.

Walson-Jack said that the digital transformation efforts were gaining momentum across the service.

She cited the Federal Ministry of Health as the latest to adopt an enterprise content of Performance Management System (PMS) .

“I was in the Ministry of Health last week to launch their content management system. It is now the 11th ministry or extra-ministerial department to operate paperlessly,” she said.

The HCSF, however, acknowledged that some MDAs were facing challenges, particularly with funding.

She said that partnerships were being leveraged to support their transition.

“The race to Dec. 31 is on, and by the grace of God and with sustained effort, the entire civil service will be paperless by the end of 2025.”

Walson-Jack said that digital transformation went beyond eliminating paper, explaining that it also involves automating workflows and improving service delivery.

“In my first 100 days in office, we launched several digital platforms. This journey is about reforming how the civil service operates for greater efficiency and accountability,” she said.

Speaking on implementation of the PMS, Walson-Jack expressed concerns over the delay in the exercise across MDAs.

She said that the implementation of the system was ongoing, in spite of current funding challenges. She attributed the delay in the 2025’s cycle to a lack of access to capital project funding.

“This year, we experienced a major hitch due to the delay in accessing funds. This has slowed down the PMS cycle. However, I assure you that the system remains operational across MDAs, albeit at varying stages of implementation,” she said.

FG working towards world-class public service – Walson-Jack

Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), says the Federal Government is committed to building a world-class public service in Nigeria.

Walson-Jack made this known on Wednesday in Abuja at a World Press Conference ahead of the International Civil Service Conference and the African Public Service Week scheduled for June 25 to 26 in Abuja.

She said a recent study tour to Singapore was part of preparatory activities aimed at positioning Nigeria’s civil service for excellence and attracting global participation in the upcoming events.

“The study tour to Singapore was the first major activity we undertook under the collaboration between the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and the Heads of Service of the 36 states and the FCT,” she said.

According to her, the visit, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), involved 20 State Heads of Service and was designed to benchmark best global practices and enhance Nigeria’s public service delivery.

“The idea was born out of our ongoing collaboration, where we share ideas and knowledge across federal and state levels. Singapore was chosen because it is globally recognised for excellence in public service,” she explained.

Walson-Jack noted that the second phase of the tour will involve the remaining 17 Heads of Service later this year.

She said the tour provided participants with the opportunity to engage with both public and private sector institutions in Singapore, compare administrative practices, and gain insights into global standards.

“It was an eye-opener and a capacity-building opportunity. Since our return, several state civil services have begun implementing reforms in collaboration with the federal service, particularly in areas such as capability development and digital transformation,” she added.

Walson-Jack further disclosed that Nigeria would host a reciprocal study tour during the upcoming African Public Service Week, where foreign delegates will engage with various federal institutions.

“They will see firsthand our digitalisation efforts, performance management systems, and other reform initiatives aimed at transforming our civil service. We hope the experience will inspire similar actions in their home countries,” she said.

June 11, 2025
Federal workers demand arrears, threaten protest

Civil servants under the Federal Workers Forum have appealed to the Federal Government to pay outstanding arrears, including wage awards and promotion allowances.

In a letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu, and copied to the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, the forum urged urgent action to address long-standing issues affecting federal workers.

The group noted that the challenges had worsened, particularly since the removal of fuel subsidy.

The letter, signed by Mr Andrew Emelieze, National Coordinator, Mr Itoro Obong, National Secretary, and Mr Razaq Oseni, Publicity Secretary, emphasised the growing frustration among workers.

They noted that ten months had passed since the implementation of the new national minimum wage, but full compliance remained a problem.

“We call on you to ensure full implementation of the minimum wage by June 30, 2025, and immediate payment of ten months’ arrears dating back to August 2024,” the letter stated.

They also demanded payment of the 40 per cent peculiar allowance in June salaries, along with ten months’ arrears, and the introduction of a Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) by June.

The group condemned the selective payment of wage awards and urged the government to ensure all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) received the first tranche and any pending arrears.

They also demanded the payment of promotion arrears owed over the years, particularly to judicial workers and staff of tertiary institutions and the federal health sector.

Other demands include the reinstatement of leave bonuses, payment of 13th-month incentives, hazard allowances, and a long service award.

Additionally, the forum warned against borrowing from the contributory pension fund, stressing it was not intended for government loans.

The letter expressed hope for prompt government action, emphasising that timely intervention would prevent the need for federal workers to escalate their demands through physical demonstrations.

June 3, 2025
Civil servants dissatisfied with wage award payment mode

Some Federal civil servants within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have expressed dissatisfaction with the mode of payment of the arrears of N35,000 wage award by the Federal Government.

Some of the workers, who spoke with NAN on Wednesday in Abuja, said the federal government should have paid the outstanding N175,000 wage award once rather than paying it over a period of five months.

Mr John Lewis, a senior staff with the Ministry of Information, expressed displeasure over the delay and the money was being paid to workers.

“The federal government gave us an assurance that they would pay but I am surprised that they only paid one month instead of the five months they are owing workers.

“I don’t think those in charge have the interest of civil servants at heart. This is the same way they did with the minimum wage.

“Nobody knows what minimum wage is or if they have started the payment because what we are seeing is the N40,000 paid across board,” he said.

According to him, the wage award is supposed to be paid at once rather than in bits because it is already in arrears.

“It is as if they are doing civil servants a favour, whereas we earned it,” he said.

Also, Mr Unekwu-ojo Idachaba, a Chief Librarian, said that the payment came as a surprise but that he was not satisfied with the arrangement, saying that the payment was long overdue.

“The federal government owes federal civil servants five months of N35,000 which they have promised to pay for a long time; now they are paying the money in piecemeal rather than in a lump sum,” Idachaba said.

He said the one-month payment of N35,000 was less beneficial and useful to civil servants compared to a single payment of N175,000.

Idachaba underscored the need for better financial planning and transparency from the government.

Another civil servant, Mrs Joy Okezia, however, expressed delight that over the the payment of the wage award, saying that it came at the right time.

“I am so happy the federal government finally decided to pay this money, even though it was a payment for one month out of the five months wage award arrears, I am so happy because I was not expecting it.

“I was thinking that labour had to embark on strike before the money would be paid to civil servants in the country. I want to urge the government to always do the needful on issues concerns workers in the country,” she said.

Okezia expressed the hope that the remaining money would be paid on time.

On his part, Malam Abubakar Bakari, said it was a good thing that government had started the payment of the wage award arrears.

Bakari, however, urged the federal government to always ensure the welfare of workers, as they were pivotal to the economic growth of any nation.

The first tranche of the five months arrears of the wage award was recently paid to workers by the federal government.

Bawa Mokwa, Director, Press and Public Relations in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), said in a statement on Monday, that the arrears would be paid at N35,000 for five months.

May 28, 2025
Rivers govt. appoints new members of Civil Service, LG commissions

The Sole Administrator of Rivers, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd) has approved the appointment of members of the Civil Service Commission and Local Government Service Commission.

Prof. Ibibia Worika, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), announced the appointments in a press statement issued to newsmen in Port Harcourt on Wednesday and said that the appointments took effect from April 7, 2025

Dr Livinus Bariki is appointed as the Chairman of Civil Service Commission while Mr Lot Peter Egopija, Mrs Maeve Ere Bestman, Mrs Joy Obiaju, and Mrs Charity Lloyd Harry are appointed as memebers.

On the Local Government Service Commission appointments, Mr Israel Amadi is the Chairman, while Mr Linus Nwandem, Mrs Christabel George Didia, and Dr Tonye Willie Pepple, are members.

Other members are Mr Richard Ewoh, Rear Adm. Emmanuel Ofik (Rtd), and Dr Sammy Apiafi.

April 9, 2025
Kano Gov, Abba Yusuf pushes for disciplined workforce

Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to instill discipline in the state civil servants toward effective governance.

This is contained in a statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Dawakin-Tofa issued in Kano on Saturday.

Dawakin-Tofa quoted the governor as making the remark when he hosted Permanent Secretaries in the state for an Iftar (break fast) at Government House, Kano on Friday evening.

Yusuf described the permanent secretaries as “the engine room of government operations,” whose role he said, was critical to ensuring effective governance.

He noted that while he had the authority to replace all the permanent secretaries upon assumption of office, he chose not to, recognising their wealth of institutional knowledge and indispensable role in governance.

“I had the right to fire all the permanent secretaries, but I understood their importance as the administrative backbone of our government.

“Considering this privilege, be mindful of great responsibility ahead of you, and be reminded that virtues of discipline must be upheld at all times and at all levels,” he said.

The governor reiterated his administration’s unwavering commitment to accountability, efficiency and professionalism in the civil service, urging senior officials to lead by example.

He warned that his administration would not condone laxity and misconduct in the state service.

The Iftar gathering provided an opportunity for the governor to engage directly with top civil servants, fostering collaboration and reinforcing his vision for a disciplined and result-oriented civil service.

March 15, 2025
Salaries shortfall: Why FG workers felt shortchanged – OAGF

The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) has clarified that there are no shortfalls in salaries paid to federal workers in January and February.

The OAGF made the clarification in a statement issued by Bawa Mokwa, the Director, Press and Public Relations on Friday in Abuja.

Mokwa said that the salaries that workers received in January and February were their normal salaries after the various arrears that were paid from October to December 2024 had been exhausted.

He said that it was imperative to make clarifications on the purported shortfall in January and February salaries in order to ease any anxiety in the minds of workers.

According to him, various salary arrears have been paid in the last quarter of 2024, namely, minimum wage arrears, 25 per cent/35 per cent increase in salary arrears, and wage award arrears.

“All these arrears were paid from the month of October 2024 to December 2024. This made salaries to increase abnormally in the last quarter of 2024.

“Payment of normal salaries after exhausting the various arrears began in January 2025, which made some workers think that they were shortchanged, when in actual sense, it was their real salaries ” he said.

He said that what was paid in January and February 2025 shall continue to be the salaries until when the Federal Government reviews the salaries again.

The director said that there were cases of overpayments in the month of December 2024 due to system error.

“The error has been corrected and deductions in respect of the overpayments from the salaries of affected workers is on-going and shall continue until such overpayments were fully recovered,” he said.

On the payment of promotion arrears, Mokwa said that the exercise was handled by a standing committee on promotion and salary arrears in the Budget Office of the Federation (BOF).

According to him, the BOF compiles and vets all salary and promotion arrears from various MDAs before such is channeled in batches to IPPIS for payment.

He said that IPPIS had fully paid batches 1 to 6 and was awaiting more batches from the BOF for payment.

Mokwa reiterated the determination of the OAGF to efficiently manage the IPPIS in view of its importance to workers.

He advised workers with genuine complaints about their salaries to follow the formal processes to get such resolved as quickly as possible.

March 8, 2025