The Federal Government has assured public servants that the outstanding wage award will be paid before the middle of August, while outstanding promotion arrears are also being processed as part of efforts to fulfil commitments to workers.

The assurance was given by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, during a meeting in Abuja with the leadership of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC), Trade Side, led by its National President, Comrade Kabiru Ado Minjibir.

Oyedele said the government had already begun addressing many of the issues raised by the council even before receiving its formal communication, stressing that the administration remains committed to resolving legitimate labour concerns through dialogue and timely action. He expressed confidence that eligible public servants would begin receiving the outstanding wage award before mid-August.

The minister also disclosed that outstanding promotion arrears are receiving the necessary attention, with the remaining batches being processed in line with established procedures. He directed relevant officials to work with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to fast-track action on all pending labour-related matters.

Earlier, Minjibir commended the minister for engaging with organised labour and urged the government to expedite the payment of the outstanding wage award, promotion arrears, salary relativity for health workers and other unresolved welfare issues. He said prompt implementation of the commitments would strengthen industrial harmony and boost workers’ confidence in government.

‎The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Raymond Omachi, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to working closely with organised labour to ensure that approved workers’ entitlements are processed without unnecessary delays. Also, the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, Mohammed Sanusi Danjuma, said Batch 7 promotion arrears, which was omitted during an earlier payment exercise, is now being processed alongside Batch 9. He added that the government is also addressing issues relating to the Peculiar Allowance and other outstanding labour matters.

‎Providing an update on the payment process, the Director of Cash Management at the Federal Ministry of Finance, Christiana Osho, said reconciliation for the outstanding wage award has been completed and the release of funds is at its final stage. She noted that payments to eligible workers would commence once the release is effected, while both the government and organised labour reaffirmed their commitment to sustained dialogue and cooperation in resolving outstanding labour issues.