Federal Workers Protest Poor wages, hardships and Insecurity in Ibadan

Federal Government workers under the aegis of the Federal Workers Forum (FWF) on Monday staged a peaceful protest against the economic hardships and insecurity confronting workers inside the Federal Secretariat Ikolaba, Ibadan, Nigeria.

However, the protest was voluntary, as workers were not prevented from moving in and outside the secretariat-the two entrances remained opened.

In his words, Comrade Paul Balogun reminded the Federal Government that workers on its payroll were suffering, saying, ‘’ we are appealing to the Federal Government to pay the wage award immediately. The Federal; Government is still owing us two months wage award. The arrears should be paid immediately.’’

‘’The average Nigerian worker is living from hand to mouth, the average Nigerian worker is hungry and the monthly salary cannot take the average Nigerian worker home. Only N40,000 was added to the new minimum wage of N70,000 across board. We are appealing to the Federal Government to do the necessary, Comrade Balogun concluded.

For Comrade Olaniyi Ajibosho, workers have been experiencing difficulties reporting for duty daily.

‘’Workers can no longer report for duty as a result of the high cost of transport and poor salaries. Rents and school fees of our children are also there to address. We are suffering, ‘’ Comrade Ajibosho declared.

However, the National Coordinator of the FWF, Comrade Andrew Emelieze sums up the plight of the workers,’’ we are living in fear and economic hardships. Government should treat us like human beings. We are the geese that lays the golden eggs. Government should do all that is possible to reverse the ugly trend. Government should review the minimum wage now.

 Be a Responsible Father(32nd REMEMBRANCE-CHIEF D.A ADEWUMI-JUNE20TH 2026) 

Today, indiscipline, lawlessness, criminality, diabolism, treachery, betrayal, hypocrisy and evil are the values in society.

Indeed, children's upbringing by fathers and mothers has resulted in a very disturbing and pitiable situation.

Chief Adewumi was a responsible and upright father who adhered strictly to the principles of successful living and standards revolving around honesty, firmness, resolution, transparency, courage, humility, tolerance, endurance and perseverance, generosity and philanthropy.

Let us retrace our steps by becoming responsible and fathers, just like Chief Adewumi, who impacted positively on several lives, including mine.

Members of the same family are plotting evil against each other because of inheritance.

Spare the rod and spoil the child.

Chief D.A Adewumi (15th December 1924-30th June 1994)The Akogun of Ibeshe, Lagos Nigeria Remembrance- Chief D.A Adewumi (1924-1994)(B.A Econs. Fourah Bay College,University of Sierra Leone Freetown, Sierra Leone/Electoral Commissioner, Lagos State Electoral Commission-1979-1983). Principal MacJob Grammar School, Abeokuta Awori Ajeromi Grammar School Badagry Divisional Grammar School Epe Grammar School Trinity Secondary Technical School 

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Dividends of Democracy— proposed London News Briefing Wasteful—Federal Workers

Federal workers in Nigeria have described the decision of the federal government to showcase its achievements in the last 24 months in Great Britain during this period when millions of Nigerians are complaining of hunger and poverty as insensitive and embarrassing. The workers made this known through the National Coordinator of the Federal Workersm (FWF), Comrade Andrew Emelieze. ''The ministers appointed by the present political leadership in Nigeria are in the process of rolling out the achievements of those in charge in London, while millions of Nigerians are busy contending with hunger, economic hardships, and poverty. This overseas trip is at what cost to taxpayers? It is wasteful. This is very insensitive, callous, and embarrassing. The wind of greed and covetousness has overwhelmed those in the present administration and has become not only a burden but also a liability to millions of Nigerians. Comrade Emelieze stated. The Local Scene It is surprising that the powers that be can give consent to the recruitment of 130,000 forest guards for the states in Nigeria. This may undermine the genuine efforts by the law enforcement and security structure to curtail violent crimes. Taxpayers' money was expended to train, retrain, and equip the security operatives for purposes that does not include sabotage. This initiative and the proposed security summit by the legislature speak volumes about the frame of mind of those in leadership positions. The sugesstion is that political officeholders are desperate to compensate their well-wishers, admirers, and hangers-on.

Federal workers protest slave wages in Ibadan

Workers under the aegis of the Federal Workers Forum (FWF) on Tuesday protested the prevailing insecurity and economic hardships in Nigeria. 

The workers, led by the National Coordinator of the forum, Comrade Andrew Emelieze, shut the two entry points into the Federal Secretariat, Ikolaba, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.

However, workers were noticed moving in and out of the secretariat through the pedestrian entry point—devoid of harassment, intimidation, and attacks. Even though the heavy presence  of law enforcement operatives may have partially undermined the workers protest.

Comrade Emelieze lamented that the situation of the workers "is horrible; workers are going through hell. That is why we are protesting to press home our demands.''

''The government promised us a living wage; the government now converted it to a slave wage. We are workers, not slaves.'' Most workers in Nigeria have been dehumanized and no longer perform their duties in the right frame of mind.'' Comrade Emelieze concluded.

We are Heavily taxed by the government-Federal workers

Workers in Nigeria have raised alarm over the unfair taxation of their monthly salaries by the federal and state governments. The workers under the aegis of the Federal Workers Forum (FWF) raised this alarm in a letter titled PROTEST AGAINST EXPLOITATION OF WORKERS BY THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT, THE COMPROMISE OF LABOR UNIONS, AND NOTIFICATIONS FOR INDEFINITE PROTEST FROM 22ND APRIL 2025 BY FEDERAL WORKERS, addressed to the International Labour Organization (ILO) and signed by the National Coordinator (FWF), Comrade Andrew Emelieze, and Secretary General, Comrade Itoro Obong. "Federal workers" salaries and ALLOWANCES are equally heavily taxed, and no tax rebate or certificate is issued to the workers at the end of the year. Despite the poor national minimum wage, the federal government in Nigeria has continued to owe federal workers lots of arrears of allowances, promotion arrears, hazard allowances, duty tour allowance (DTA), etc. This we have seen leading to agitations among health sector workers, education sector workers, and many others. It will interest the ILO to note that the federal government of Nigeria has owed all federal government workers in Nigeria a five-month wage award worth 175,000 naira per worker since July 2024.'' ''The workers also lamented the deceitful implementation of the N70,000 new minimum wage by the government, saying, More painful is the fact that the last national minimum wage of 70,000 naira was implemented without an agreed table with the organized labor representatives, and in the end only a meager 40,000 naira was what was added to the salaries of all federal workers across all levels in Nigeria. More painful is the fact that our industrial unions and their labor centers of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) never at any instance queried the new national minimum wage table, nor did they query the federal government over the arrears of five months wage award balance payment to the federal workers or others being owed the federal workers. ''The President has been very unfair and hostile to the Nigerian workers. While salaries have remained abysmally poor, President Tinubu and his team have continued to attack workers through their anti-worker policies, as we have seen in hikes in the price of petroleum products, the deliberate devaluation of our national currency (the naira), and hikes in the price of everything in the face of double-digit inflation. President Tinubu is subjecting the Nigerian workers to hellish conditions, and he has shown a lack of interest in the well-being of the workers. The Nigerian government has also severely flouted the international conventions of the ILO cum UN aimed at promoting decent work conditions and fair pay for work done. The situation in Nigeria is an existential threat to the general populace in the country and a threat to world peace and security. ''They concluded.

N70,000 national minimum wage a disaster—Federal workers

Federal workers in Nigeria have described the 70,000 Naira national minimum wage as a disaster.

The workers made this assertion in a letter to President Ahmed Tinubu dated 8th April, 2025, titled WHAT IS OUR OFFENSE? FEDERAL WORKERS HAVE SUFFERED ENOUGH; THIS HARDSHIP IS UNBEARABLE; STOP THIS TORTURE, and signed by the National Coordinator (FWF), Comrade Andrew Emelieze, and Secretary General, Comrade Itoro Obong.

''Mr. President, you can not pretend not to hear us; federal workers are calling for justice. Our well-being is not taken seriously by you. The 70,000 naira minimum wage is a ridiculous disaster; it cannot even suffice as a transportation allowance for less than five workers for a month.

We have been abandoned and neglected. The recent minimum wage is one of the testimonies of our plights. The mere fact that the benchmark for the minimum wage is N70,000 does not mean that the federal workers should be paid that minimum. Is it not a shame that some states now pay more than the federal government? The N70,000 minimum wage shows disrespect to the Nigerian workers.

It is our belief that there is a conspiracy between Mr. President and the NLC/TUC leadership to impose a poor minimum wage on workers; this is a crime against humanity. Power must not be used to suppress the people," they concluded.

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TUC has no excuse not to join Protests-Federal Workers

The Federal Workers Forum has disclosed that the Forum joined the two day nationwide protest called  by the Nigeria Labor Congress(NLC) as a result of the reactionary posture of the leadership Trade Union Congress(TUC).

This disclosure was made on Tuesday by the National coordinator of the Federal Workers Forum(FWF) and a former chairman of the Oyo state council of the TUC, Comrade Andrew Emelieze during the protests  at the Federal secretariat, Ikolaba, Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria.

 

Only five workers staged the peaceful protests at the entrance of the secretariat, a sizable number of other workers were at their  duty posts, while most of the workers stayed away from from work.

''To start with the TUC has no excuse whatsoever not to participate in the two day nationwide protests called by the NLC. The TUC is just giving flimsy excuses that does not hold water to justify the union's posture, and this is the major reason why the Federal Workers Forum decided to go along with the NLC's two day nationwide protests,'' Comrade Emeleize stated.

Workers yet to receive September Salaries-Federal Workers Forum

The Federal workers forum has expressed reservations over the delay in the payment of the September salaries of public and civil servants in Nigeria. The forum in a press statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze, also stated that the Federal Government ought to be very sensitive to the difficulties and hardships Nigerians are passing through. ''Workers in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies are yet to receive their September salaries i the middle of difficulties, hardships and tales of woes. The Federal Government is supposed to be sensitive to the plight of Nigerians and wear a human face.', the statement concluded.