Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Federal Government, yesterday, ascribed the delay in payment of salaries in some Ministries, Departments and Agencies to the 2020 budget which was passed into law before the conclusion of negotiations on the new minimum wage and its consequential adjustment.
It,however, assured that necessary steps have been taken to resolve the matter.
In a statement titled “FG explains delay in payment of October salary” signed by Director of Information, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Olawunmi Ogunmosunle, on behalf of the HOSF, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, explained that the provision made for salaries of some MDAs based on previous salaries had been exhausted, hence the delay in the payment of October salaries of some workers.
The clarification follows rising tension among workers in the affected MDAs
Some of the affected workers were said to have stormed the office of the Head of the Civil Service at the Federal Secretariat Complex in the early hours of the day to demand the payment of their salaries.
Ogunmosunle, who denied knowledge of such protest, however, admitted delay in payment of October salary, but added that a committee was already working to come up with the figure of what is needed to pay the salary.
She expressed the belief that the exercise would be concluded this week and the outstanding salary paid.
The statement read: “The Federal Government has given reasons for the delay in the payment of October salary to some civil servants assuring that necessary steps have been taken to resolve the matter.
“The delay is due to the fact that the 2020 budget was passed before the conclusion of negotiation on the new minimum wage and its consequential adjustment.”
Dr. Yemi-Esan went further to explain that a lump sum was however provided in the 2020 budget for minimum wage and its consequential adjustment.
She said a committee made up of representatives of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the Budget Office and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation had been set up to determine the shortfalls of Ministries, Extra- Ministerial Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
“The shortfalls are to be paid from the lump sum already set aside in the budget for the minimum wage and its consequential adjustment. The committee is expected to conclude its work by the end of this week so that salaries can be paid.”