Employees across federal facilities nationwide have voiced their frustration over the government’s decision to delay their January salaries, deeming it unjust amid the current economic climate.
Several employees described this delay as unprecedented, even surpassing disruptions experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. THE BUREAU NEWSPAPER learned that staff were pre-informed about the delay through a notice from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, citing ongoing work to integrate the 2024 Appropriation into the GIFMIS platform as the cause.
This memo clarified that the delay would impact various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), urging affected employees to exercise patience. Employees from institutions such as the Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, and others shared their grievances with THE BUREAU NEWSPAPER, calling for swift government action due to increasing hardships.
Wole Balogun, from FUOYE, and Folashade Daramola, from Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, expressed their concerns about the delay affecting their financial commitments and daily commute. Similarly, Owoeye Ilesanmi from NOA highlighted unfulfilled wage awards, stressing the government’s insensitivity.
Amid rising costs due to subsidy removals and unchanged salaries, employees like Idris Badiru in Ibadan have publicly lamented the situation. In Katsina, staff reported disruptions to their work schedules and financial strain due to the delay, with some ceasing to attend work altogether.
Jude Abugu from NTA in Edo noted that salary delays have become common, with the latest payment arriving in early February. Employees are calling for a resolution, emphasizing the difficulty of navigating the delayed payments and the cost of living increases.