The Federal Ministry of Finance has scheduled talks with the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) to address the outstanding wage awards for March and April 2026 and the implementation of the 40 per cent peculiar allowance approved to take effect from May 1, 2026.
The talks are scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 5, following repeated appeals by the JNPSNC, an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), for action on the two outstanding issues. National Secretary of the JNPSNC, Mr Gbenga Olowoyo, confirmed the invitation came late on Tuesday, Aug. 4, saying the council’s leadership would attend the meeting prepared to push for concrete timelines.
According to Olowoyo, the engagement comes at a critical time as workers face increasing pressure from the cost of living.
“There is no doubting the fact that workers are seriously agitated, and they continue to bear the brunt of the debilitating economic hardship in Nigeria,” he said.
The talks are scheduled six days ahead of the union’s Aug. 11 deadline to the Federal Government.
In a letter dated Aug. 4 to the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, the JNPSNC requested an immediate meeting to address the outstanding wage awards for March and April 2026 and the implementation of the 40 per cent peculiar allowance approved by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.
The letter, signed by the National Secretary of the JNPSNC, Mr Gbenga Olowoyo, on behalf of the National Chairman, Mr Benjamin Yanto, said federal workers were still owed the wage awards for March and April 2026, while the 40 per cent peculiar allowance had not been implemented since it took effect on May 1, 2026.
The council noted that this was the third time it had written to the minister, adding that previous letters sent on May 5 and July 9, 2026, received no reply.
“The national leadership expects that this meeting will help to address the above-stated outstanding issues to prevent palpable disquiet and the brewing industrial crisis,” the council stated.
The JNPSNC argued that the delay was fuelling anxiety among workers who expected both payments alongside their regular salaries.
It said the 40 per cent peculiar allowance was contained in a circular signed by the Executive Chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Mr Eyo Nta.
The council accused the Ministry of Finance of remaining silent since the minister assumed office, describing the situation as worrying for public servants.
“It is informative to add that the entire public servants have viewed the silence of the Minister of Finance since his resumption as minister as a surreptitious and clandestine way of compromising the necessary essence of directing the Accountant General of the Federation to effect the full payment of the two months’ outstanding wage award and the implementation of the circular on the 40 per cent peculiar allowance effective May 1, 2026,” the letter added.
While saying it was trying to preserve industrial peace, the council cautioned that inaction could force workers to take matters into their own hands.
“This request should be seen as a proactive approach from the national leadership to avert drastic actions from workers due to your insensitive silence to our two previous letters,” it warned.
Olowoyo said the union was approaching the meeting with the goal of securing commitments that would ease anxiety across ministries, departments and agencies.
The JNPSNC said resolving the outstanding wage awards and implementing the 40 per cent peculiar allowance would help restore confidence among federal workers.
