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LABOUR FUMES OVER CUT IN PECULIAR ALLOWANCE PAYMENT TO WORKERS
The National leadership of Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (Labour Side) has demanded for the upward review of the existing 40% peculiar allowance on the consolidated salary of Federal Civil Servants to reflect 70,000 minimum wage .
This demand was contained in a letter addressed to Barrister Ekpo U O Nta , the Executive Chairman, National Salaries, income and Wages Commission by the National leadership of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) Trade Union Side signed by the National Secretary Comrade Olowoyo Gbenga. .
The letter inter alia stated that the “National leadership of JNPSNC wishes to call your attention to the circular issued by your Office dated 24th February, 2023 vide SWC/S/04/S.651/11/271.”
” For the purpose of clarity on the referred circular , your esteemed office issued another circular on the subject matter dated 10th March, 2023 vide SWC/S/04/S.4651/11/285 which inter alia States that “the conclusions of the 11th meeting of the Presidential Committee on Salaries held on 7th March, 2023 on the above mentioned subject and conveyed approval for the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning to implement the Peculiar Allowance attached herewith for Staff on the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS) (find attached Annex 1 for ease of reference).
According to the letter, “as a matter of fact, there is no controversy on the above paragraph in the referred Circular because it was based on the Thirty Thousand Naira (#30,000.00) old National Minimum Wage as at the time it was issued.
“This letter to your office therefore wishes to express our feelings of unhappiness, disappointment and breach of trust that your Office and that of the Accountant General of the Federation, have exhibited since July, 2024 when the New Minimum Wage payment has commenced, Federal Public Servants are being paid 40% Peculiar Allowance based on the old Minimum Wage table prepared by your Office.
” To this end, the leadership of the Eight (8) Unions’ that are affiliate of Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (Trade Union Side) resolved to urgently demand that your esteemed Office should cause a circular that will convey a 40% Peculiar Allowance that will reflect the New National Minimum Wage of Seventy Thousand Naira (#70,000.00) and this will thereafter repeal the existing circular that has been short changing Federal Public Servants for over one year ago when the New National Minimum Wage has commenced i.e. since 28th July, 2024.
The letter further stated that the Federal Government should muster the necessary political will to provide resources that will defray the over one year of Arrears of this 40% percent peculiar allowance when approved.
” It is equally important to state that we are not oblivion of the recent approval of peculiar allowance granted specially to only the Staff of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation vide a correspondence from National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission referred SWC/S/04/S.588/A/49 dated 15th August, 2025 to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the approval granted by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to the Accountant General of the Federation vide SGF.5/S.4/T3/893 dated 18th August, 2025.
“It is to our delight that such approval was granted but it is very imperative to state that what is good for the goose is equally good for the gander.”
Your Office is hereby invited to consider our request above and do the needful passionately and give it accelerated approval for implementation just as you did exclusively for the staff of the Accountant General office.
In order to avoid any industrial crisis that may erupt as a result of any foot dragging on this matter the letter has equally been forwarded to the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and office of the Minister of Finance and coordinating Minister of Economic Management.
Also, the letter was equally addressed to the National leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress ( TUC) respectively for all their timely intervention.
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