FG to delay salaries of civil servants by three months

A recent report has revealed that federal civil servants in 12 ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) may experience delays in salary payments from October to December 2024. The delays are attributed to the exhaustion of personnel budgets, following the recent approval of the new minimum wage and the 40 percent CONPSS Peculiar Allowance, which was not factored into the 2024 budget.

A memo issued by the Voice of Nigeria (VON) confirmed that the agency’s personnel costs for these months would be covered by the Service Wide Vote, causing a temporary delay in salary disbursements. The Director of Finance at VON explained that the ongoing process of securing augmentation approvals from relevant authorities is the reason for the hold-up.

The Office of the Accountant-General has assured that the issue is being resolved, and affected civil servants should start receiving their salaries soon, refuting claims that the delay would persist until the end of the year. According to Bawa Mokwa, the issue is confined to no more than 12 MDAs, and payments have already started trickling in for some staff members.

Despite the assurances, some workers have expressed frustration, confirming that they received internal circulars about the delays, with some still awaiting their wages. This has sparked concern over the lack of clarity and communication about the payment schedule. However, the government has stressed that the problem is temporary and will not extend beyond the current quarter.