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Tag: Salaries

  • FG confirms Nigerian foreign missions struggle with unpaid rent, salaries

    FG confirms Nigerian foreign missions struggle with unpaid rent, salaries

    The Federal Government has confirmed several Nigerian diplomatic and consular missions abroad are facing financial and operational challenges, ranging from unpaid staff salaries to mounting debts owed to landlords and service providers.

    Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

    He acknowledged that the difficulties have hindered the smooth running of embassies and consulates in different countries.

    “The ministry is not unaware of the restrictions that financial limitations have placed on the smooth running of the missions, including the inability to pay salaries of locally recruited staff, financial obligations to service providers, rent to landlords, and the foreign service allowance to home-based officers,” the statement read.

    “It is pertinent to state, however, that the Nigerian diplomatic missions are not immune to the economic situation at home and its attendant challenges to government operations.

    “The financial situation in our missions stems from budgetary limitations over the years, resulting in shortfalls in allocations.”

    Ebienfa assured Nigerians at home and in the diaspora that the welfare of diplomatic staff and their families remains a top priority for the President Bola Tinubu administration.

    He highlighted recent measures, including the approval and release of special intervention funds to ease the hardship faced by some missions.

    The government stated that it has established a committee to assess the debt profiles of affected missions, adding that over 80 per cent of available funds have been cleared for payments, prioritising service providers, locally recruited staff salaries, and arrears owed to officers.

    While noting that these missions are not exempt from the broader economic realities affecting Nigeria, the ministry emphasised that the budgetary shortfalls over the years have significantly hampered the effective functioning of missions and their ability to fulfil core diplomatic responsibilities.

    See the full statement below:

    STATEMENT BY THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, NIGERIA, ON THE FINANCIAL STATE OF NIGERIAN MISSIONS ABROAD

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria wishes to acknowledge the financial and operational constraints recently being experienced by several of our Diplomatic and Consular Missions abroad. The Ministry is not unaware of the restrictions that financial limitations have placed on the smooth running of the Missions, including the inability to pay salaries of locally recruited staff, financial obligations to service providers, rent to landlords, and the foreign service allowance to home-based officers.

    It is pertinent to state, however, that the Nigerian Diplomatic Missions are not immune to the economic situation at home and its attendant challenges to government operations. The financial situation in our Missions stems from budgetary limitations over the years, resulting in shortfalls in allocations, which in turn have significantly impacted the optimal functioning of many of our Missions abroad, and the ability to deliver on their core diplomatic and consular mandates effectively.

    The Ministry wishes to assure all Nigerians, both at home and abroad, and the international community, that the welfare of its staff and their families in the diaspora is of paramount importance to the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. The government is taking decisive and concrete steps to address the issues of fund allocation to all its Missions abroad.
    One such remedial measure was the approval and release of special intervention funds to cushion the effects of the hardship faced by some of the Missions.

    To ensure that the monies remitted to the Missions are utilised judiciously and managed prudently in line with this Administration’s financial discipline policy, the Ministry set up a committee to assess and confirm the debt profile of the affected Missions with a view to ensuring that payments are justifiable and carried out based on equity and fairness to all those affected. Based on responses from Missions and documentary evidence provided, more than 80 per cent of the available funds have been cleared for payments, with priority given to service providers, salaries of locally recruited staff and arrears of claims due to officers, respectively.

    The Ministry has also engaged the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation in obtaining refunds for the shortfall in Missions’ allocations in the 2024 fiscal year due to foreign exchange differentials associated with the new monetary policy and the harmonisation of exchange rates. To mitigate its impact, the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has graciously approved the settlement of the shortfall. Consequently, the first tranche has already been remitted to all Missions, with some having confirmed receipt.

    Similarly, the Second Semester Allocations have also been approved. The Ministry is engaging with the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria to facilitate the prompt release of Personnel and Overhead Cost Allocations to all Missions, starting this week, to clear outstanding Allowances and further alleviate the financial situation of the Missions. With these efforts, Missions have begun to stabilise.

    In the same vein, the Ministry is also working diligently to develop a sustainable financial model for funding our missions abroad, which includes exploring innovative solutions and efficiency measures to ensure long-term operational stability. These efforts are integral to the broader public sector financial reforms being implemented by the Federal Government, aimed at enhancing fiscal governance and ensuring the effective allocation of resources.

    The Ministry recognises the resilience and dedication of its diplomatic staff who continue to discharge their duties with commendable patriotism under these difficult circumstances. We also thank the host governments, service providers and our international partners for their understanding and continued cooperation. The Nigerian government remains unwavering in its commitment to providing the necessary support to all its Missions abroad with a view to enabling them to function at their full capacity.

    We are confident that the current challenges are temporary and will be overcome through the concerted efforts of this administration.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirms Nigeria’s commitment to robust and dynamic international diplomacy, as well as the unwavering protection and welfare of every Nigerian citizen worldwide.

  • 240 Kano workers receive double payments, 217 share same BVN

    240 Kano workers receive double payments, 217 share same BVN

    Kano State Government said it has uncovered irregularities on its payroll involving 240 employees receiving double payments and 217 others having the same Bank Verification Number (BVN).

    Dr Sulaiman Sani, Special Adviser to the Governor on Civil Service Matters and Chairman of the State Coordinating Committee, disclosed this at a press briefing in Kano on Sunday.

    Sani, who represented the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Umar Ibrahim, said the findings emerged from a biometric verification exercise was aimed at sanitising the state’s civil service.

    According to him, the anomalies were discovered during reviews conducted by two standing committees; one for the state and another for local government payrolls.

    “The inherited shortcomings in the payroll system have continued to disturb the government.

    “We discovered that 240 employees are drawing double salaries, while 217 individuals share the same BVN,” Sani said.

    He also revealed that 1,335 employees had not reported for verification for over six months, further raising concerns about the authenticity of many names on the payroll.

    In his remarks, the Chairman of the Local Payroll Government Standing Committee, Alhaji Umar Idi, said an audit exercise uncovered 247 questionable names on the local government and primary healthcare payrolls.

    Idi explained that only eight out of the 247 individuals appeared before the committee to confirm their employment status.

    “The removal of the remaining 239 names has resulted in a monthly saving of N27.8 million, which will be returned to the state and local governments’ joint account,” he said.

    Sani assured that the ongoing exercise was not punitive but it was intended to ensure that genuine workers and pensioners received their full entitlements without arbitrary deductions.

    He recalled that since the assumption of office of Gov. Abba Yusuf,his administration had prioritised the prompt payment of salaries and haf eliminated informal deductions from workers’ wages.

    “The payroll cleansing will enhance transparency and efficiency in salary administration,” Sani added.

    He further vowed that the government would continue working with the stakeholders to address all the anomalies and restore credibility to the civil service.

  • Rivers Sole Administrator, Ibas approves payment of workers’ salaries

    Rivers Sole Administrator, Ibas approves payment of workers’ salaries

    The Rivers Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, has approved the payment of salaries for the state Civil Servants, pensioners, and all suspended political appointees.

    The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Ibibia Worika, disclosed this in a statement issued to newsmen in Port Harcourt, on Friday, saying that the payment was for March, 2025.

    Worika said that this was in line with the commitment pledged to the people of the state by the Administrator.

    He said that Ibas further directed the Accountant General of the state to ensure that the payment was made immediately without delay.

  • Salaries shortfall: Why FG workers felt shortchanged – OAGF

    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.

  • BLEAK Christmas for federal workers as salaries between Oct-Dec to be delayed

    BLEAK Christmas for federal workers as salaries between Oct-Dec to be delayed

    BLEAK Christmas for Federal civil servants in 12 government ministries, departments, and agencies might see their salaries between October and December 2024 delayed.

    This is due to the fact that the budget for personnel costs by the agencies has been exhausted.

    This was caused by the recent approval of the new minimum wage.

    A notice sent to public servants working with the Voice of Nigeria disclosed the new information.

    The circular issued by the Director of Finance for Director-General, Jack Odeh, on October 22, 2024, titled “Notice of Delay in October 2024 Salary,” explained that the delay was caused by the payment of the 40 per cent CONPSS Peculiar Allowance which was not initially included in the 2024 budget.

    It further stated that personnel costs from the month of October to December 2024 will be augmented from the Service Wide Vote, hence a slight delay in the payment of salaries.

    However, the Director of Press at the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Bawa Mokwa, said the issue in question had an impact on not more than 12 MDAs, though he did not provide the specific names of entities involved.

    The notice read, “Consequent to the Federal Government implementation of the minimum wage in September 2024, and the non-inclusion of the 40 per cent CONPSS Peculiar Allowance in the 2024 budget, the Voice of Nigeria personnel budget has been exhausted.

    “VON’s personnel cost from the month of October to December 2024 will therefore have to be augmented from the Service Wide Vote. We regret to inform the staff and management that there will be a slight delay in the payment of salaries for the period of October to December 2024.

    “This is due to the ongoing process of augmentation, which requires necessary approvals from relevant authorities for VON and other ministries, departments and agencies involved. Please take note.”

  • Civil servants must refund salaries received after ‘japa’ – Tinubu gives order

    Civil servants must refund salaries received after ‘japa’ – Tinubu gives order

    President Bola Tinubu has directed that all civil servants who are drawing salaries from the government after relocating abroad should be made to refund the money.

    The President also directed that the supervisors and department heads of the culprits must also be punished for aiding and abetting the fraud under their watch.

    Tinubu’ gave the directive on Saturday at the award night organised by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), to commemorate the 2024 Civil Service Week.

    The event was also to honour some outstanding civil servants in core ministries.

    Represented by Sen. George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the President expressed dismay over the attitude of the ghost workers.

    ”During my recent visit to South Africa, I kept abreast of the week’s activities.

     “I was particularly struck by the revelations shared by the Head of the Civil Service, regarding employees who had relocated abroad while drawing salaries without formally resigning.

    “It is heartening to hear that measures have been taken to address this issue, but we must ensure those responsible are held accountable and restitution is made.

    “The culprits must be made to refund the money they have fraudulently collected.

    “Their supervisors and department heads must also be punished for aiding and abetting the fraud under their watch,” Tinubu said.

    He reiterated that government would take appropriate measures to ensure they were punished and the money refunded to government treasury.

    The President acknowledged the challenges in the civil service sector and reiterated his commitment to address them for optimal performance.

    “Our administration acknowledges the challenges the civil service is facing.

    “I want to give you the assurance that we are committed to ensuring the welfare and development of all civil servants to deliver optimal performance for the growth of our nation.

    “Over the past year, I have provided all the necessary support to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to ensure the continued stability of the civil service.

    “I also supported the office in implementing far-reaching policies and reforms capable of improving efficiency and service delivery,” the president said.

  • Mutfwang inherited N4.6bn salaries, pension arrears in LGAs – Commissioner

    Mutfwang inherited N4.6bn salaries, pension arrears in LGAs – Commissioner

    The Plateau Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, says that the Gov. Caleb Mutfwang-led administration inherited N4.6 billion salary and pension arrears from the previous administration.

    Mr Ephraims Usman, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, made the disclosure on Tuesday in Jos, at a ministerial press briefing organised by the Ministry for Information and Communication.

    Usman said that the ministry made the discovery during a familiarisation tour of the 17 LGAs to inspect projects and ensure that they were utilising their monthly allocation efficiently.

    The commissioner said that so far, N1.7 billion primary teachers’ arrears had been cleared.

    He also said that N1.2billion out of the more than N1.6 billion arrears of local government council employees had been paid.

    “Out of the over N1billion local government pension arrears inherited, only about N300 million is still outstanding.

    ”Efforts are however, being made to clear all the outstanding arrears of the LGA staff and their pensioners within the next few months.

    “The ministry, in collaboration with the Association Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), purchased 35 Hilux vehicles for Operation Rainbow, to strengthen the security architecture at the grassroots level.

    “The ministry also paid N200 million inherited outstanding allocation to Operation Rainbow.

    “The ministry, along with the 17 LGAs management and their labour unions, signed an agreement for the payment of wage award of N12,000 each for three months to teachers, LGA workers, and pensioners,” he said.

    Usman further said that the ministry conducted the selection and coronation of the new paramount ruler of the Ngas people (Ngolong Ngas) on first class status.

    According to him, the selection of the new paramount ruler of Garkawa (Mou Youm of Garkawa) was done on second class status, adding that his coronation would soon take place.

    He added that the ministry, in conjunction with the 17 LGAs, was working on the digitalisation of indigene forms and marriage certificates with link to the beneficiary’s National Identity Number (NIN).

  • Workers reject Tinubu’s conditional payment of withheld salaries

    Workers reject Tinubu’s conditional payment of withheld salaries

    The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to approve unconditional payment of the withheld salaries.

    Mr Ibeji Nwokoma, President of NAAT, made the appeal in a statement in Abuja.

    He said the association rejects the idea of a document of Understanding (DoU) as a pre-condition for payment of the withheld salaries of its members.

    Recall the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and others had embarked on a eight months strike in which government had invoke no work, no pay in 2022.

    Subsequently, Mr Ajuri Ngelale, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Bola Tinubu revealed the president had granted a partial waiver to the staff of tertiary institutions.

    Ngelale said this was based on the principles of presidential prerogative of mercy, subject to Ministry of Education and that of Labour and Employment developing a Document of Understanding (DoU).

    The document was a pre-condition, before the payment of the withheld salaries would be effected.

    Nwokoma however, described the development as a great concern and worrisome to the union. He, meanwhile, commended the President for his magnanimity in granting the partial waiver.

    “We view the condition of DoU as draconian and undermines our Fundamental Human Right to freedom of expression and association.

    “This is as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

    “Hence, NAAT rejects in its entirety the idea of DoU as a pre-condition for payment of the withheld salaries of our members,” he said.

    He added that, it must be noted that the work loss as a result of the strike action has since been covered through extra work hours and students graduated.

    Nwokoma noted that the students were currently undertaking their mandatory National Youth Service programme as a result, nothing had been lost.

    “NAAT called on well-meaning Nigerians to intervene and ensure payment of the withheld salaries are paid in full for a sustainable industrial harmony,” he said.

  • NFF agrees to owing national team coaches salaries

    NFF agrees to owing national team coaches salaries

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has opened up to owing many national team coaches under its employment many months of salaries.

    Recall that few weeks back it was speculated that NFF is owing the  Super Eagles head coach, Jose Peseiro and his Super Falcons counterpart, Randy Waldrum.

    Other national teams are also reportedly owed several months’ salaries by the NFF.

    Reports also say, the under 20 coach Ladan Bosso, presently with the Flying Eagles is also being owed salaries for months.

    Director of Communications Ademola Olajire admitted that the football house is currently cash-strapped and cannot pay its workers.

    “The NFF has been facing huge financial challenges and there is an ongoing effort to resolve all the issues relating to unpaid wages,” Olajire told BBC Sport Africa.

    “It is unfortunately not something to be proud of and the new board of the federation is working hard to resolve the problems.”

    Aside from the coaches, players of the different national teams are also owed camp allowances and match bonuses.

  • LAUTECH doctors withdraw services over unpaid salaries

    LAUTECH doctors withdraw services over unpaid salaries

    Doctors at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Oyo State began an industrial action on Monday over poor conditions of service.

    The industrial action was called by the hospital’s chapter of the Medical and Dental Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) and announced by its Chairman, Dr Ayobami Alabi, and Secretary, Dr. Taiwo Alatishe in a statement.

    They stated that the decision was based on a congress resolution arrived at, at the expiration of an ultimatum earlier issued.

    The chapter’s MDCAN declared that it had critically observed the situation in the hospital and there was no definite assurance that issues in contention would soon be resolved either partly or wholly.

    The association stated that it had made efforts in the past to safeguard the hospital from total collapse and to reposition it for better training, research, and services for which it was established.

    It declared as unacceptable the continued non-payment of salaries of its members recently employed.

    It also decried the “delay and difficulty in payment of 2016 to 2017 salary arrears by the management.

    It added that some of the other issues in contention were shortage of manpower across the different cadres of doctors, including consultants, specialists across different fields, resident doctors, specialists in training, and house officers.

    “The prescribed ratio of doctors expected to function in a tertiary hospital is already distorted and highly eroded by this shortfall undermining quality training and service.

    “The persistent inability of hospital management to employ doctors and other staff hinged on the excuse of paucity of funds, has led to failure in expanding the scope of training and services,’’ it stated.

    It also decried the decadence in infrastructure, equipment, and facilities which it stated was making the hospital to operate below the optimal standard expected of a teaching hospital.

    It listed the poor conditions of service including a lack of basic facilities like offices for consultants and non-response from management in spite of years of appeal.

    The withdrawal of service “is done to safeguard the hospital from total collapse and to reposition it for better training, research, and services for which it was established.

    “The board of the hospital failed to respond appropriately and satisfactorily to all these challenges over the years despite our various engagements, tolerance, and show of understanding.

    “This treatment is anti-labour. It is also considered inhumane with the attending psychological and emotional trauma,’’ it stressed.

    It noted that it was becoming impracticable for the hospital’s management to provide basic amenities for effective service delivery.

    The MDCAN appealed to the public, traditional rulers, critical stakeholders, and the state government to come to the rescue of the teaching hospital to reposition it for better output.