FG to delay salaries of civil servants by 3-month

Federal civil servants in twelve government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) may experience delays in salary payments from October through December 2024 due to budgetary constraints, Thediscovererng.com reports.

This delay follows the recent implementation of the new minimum wage, which has drained the personnel budgets for affected agencies.

A memo sent to employees at the Voice of Nigeria (VON) by Director of Finance Jack Odeh, on behalf of the Director-General, dated October 22, 2024, confirmed the issue. Titled “Notice of Delay in October 2024 Salary,” the memo cited that the allocation for the 40 percent CONPSS Peculiar Allowance, part of the new minimum wage package, was not included in the 2024 budget. The memo explains that VON’s personnel budget has been exhausted and will now require support from the Service Wide Vote, a contingency fund allocated for unforeseen expenses across government agencies.

“We regret to inform staff and management that there will be a slight delay in the payment of salaries for October to December 2024. This delay is due to the ongoing process of securing augmentation from the Service Wide Vote, which requires approvals from relevant authorities,” the memo reads.

The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), represented by Director of Press Bawa Mokwa, has confirmed that about 12 MDAs are affected, though he did not disclose specific agencies involved. Mokwa assured that the issue has now been addressed, stating that civil servants would start receiving their delayed October payments beginning Thursday.

“There is no ongoing delay that will last through the end of this year,” Mokwa added. “The affected MDAs will get their salaries this month. Any pending payments will be processed starting today.”

Some staff members at VON and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) confirmed the delay and expressed frustration over inconsistent salary payments in recent months. “Yes, we are affected. They sent a circular stating that salaries for October, November, and December would be delayed, though they didn’t give a full explanation,” said a VON employee. Another NAN staff member noted that although some payments have started, new minimum wage adjustments have yet to be fully implemented, adding to employee uncertainty.

Mokwa refuted concerns about any extended delay, affirming the government’s commitment to timely salaries following the resolution of this issue.

[With additional information from Punch Newspaper]