Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Federal Government on Monday 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 negotiation on the new minimum wage and its consequential adjustment.
It has 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 the Director of Information, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Olawunmi Ogunmosunle, 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 of the Federation 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 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 will 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 2020 salary to some civil servants assuring that necessary steps have been taken to resolve the matter.
“The Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan in a statement issued on Monday, 2nd of November, 2020 explained that 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.
“She went further to explain that a lump sum was however provided in the 2020 budget for minimum wage and its consequential adjustment.
“Dr Yemi-Esan also disclosed that 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 has 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.
“While appreciating civil servants for their patience, the Head of Service also informed that she is in touch with the Director-General, Budget Office, who assured that salaries will be paid by the end of this week..”
Vanguard newspapers had on Monday reported that at least 428 MDAs in the federal civil service have reportedly exhausted their 2020 personnel costs and are therefore unable to pay salaries.
It also reported that funds meant for personnel costs are domiciled in accounts overseen by the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System department in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
The report had specifically mentioned the Federal Fire Service which it said had not been able to pay salaries for the past two months.
