FG Workers Face Bleak Christmas Over Delay In December Salaries

Thousands of federal civil servants are facing a gloomy Christmas celebration as the Federal Government has delayed the payment of their December salaries.

The development has sparked widespread discontent among the affected workers, many of whom had made plans for the Yuletide season based on the expectation of receiving their salaries on time.

A cross-section of federal civil servants, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, lamented the delay in payment of their December salaries.

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One of the affected workers said, “To be very honest, I am not traveling for the holidays this year because I don’t have the money. Our November salaries came very late, and by the time we were paid, a lot of us were already in debt.”

Another civil servant added, “There is nothing shocking about this new development because our November salaries came late. Some of us prepared ahead, even though it is not enough. The cost of food items has gone up, clothes for my children, and all.”

The Director of Press and Public Relations at the Office of the Accountant-General, Mr. Bawa Mokwa, confirmed that payments commenced on Monday, attributing the delay to shortfalls in allocations to some ministries and agencies.

Mokwa stated, “They have started paying since yesterday. Last month, you will observe that some people didn’t get their salaries on time. Some ministries were having shortfalls. Yesterday, they paid all, and even the ones that had shortfall, they ensured that they were augmented and paid.”

The Federal Government had earlier explained that the delay in salary payments was due to the implementation of the new minimum wage, which has affected the salary allocations for some ministries.