By Adeyinka Adeniran
The Federal government workers under the aegis of Federal Workers Forum in Oyo state on Wednesday embarked on an indefinite protest over non-payment of their five months outstanding wage awards and other emoluments.
The protest was led by the National coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze at the front of Federal government Secretariat, Ikolaba, Ibadan.
The protesters who were at the Secretariat as early as 7AM ahead of other workers who came to report for duties, shut the main entrance gate of the Secretariat, singing solidarity songs and carrying placards to register their displeasure with the FG.
Addressing journalists, Emelieze said that the workers are demanding immediate payment of outstanding five months wage award arrears, implementation of 40 percent peculiar allowance and the payment of its arrears.
He noted that the 21 days ultimatum warning protest given to the federal government to attend to their demands had elapsed urging the federal government to stop what it described as its anti-workers policies.
He said the protest will continue until their demands are met by the FG.
Comrade Emelieze, however, condemned the silence of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress over the plights of the Federal workers alleging the labour union of being treated unfairly.
He said, “As earlier agreed, we the federal workers in Nigeria commence an indefinite protest nationwide today 22nd April, 2025 to press home our demands for justice for federal government workers in Nigeria, tagged #FederalWorkersProtest, #FederalWorkersHaveSufferedEnough #ShutDownAllFederalSecretariat.
“We had earlier issued a 21 days ultimatum to the federal government to attend to our plights but most unfortunately , our government has been adamant.
“We have however commenced the indefinite protest and day 1 has shown to be peaceful and successful as federal workers across the federation joined the protest nationwide occupying the different federal government secretariat across the federation despite heavy deployment of security operatives.
“It is an indefinite protest and we shall continue tomorrow 23rd April until the FG meet up with our demands.
“Day 2 will equally remain peaceful and we call on all federal workers to improve with their participation and solidarity. Federal workers are called upon to fully occupy all federal government secretariat nationwide and shut it down.
“Our demands are straight forward: The immediate payment of outstanding five months wage award arrears, the implementation of 40 percent peculiar allowance and the payment of its arrears, the immediate review of the heavy taxation of the federal workers’ poor wage, the upward review of the new national minimum wage and the payment of cost of living allowance #Cola to all federal government workers.
“The federal Workers Forum appeals specifically to all federal workers not to give up the struggle. We are optimistic that if we push further, the FG will have no option but listen to us and especially pay up our outstanding five months wage award arrears.
“So far the Federal Workers Forum has shown to be a movement and obviously we are marching to greater victories to the workers. Our activities has confirmed the movement to be anti hunger, anti poverty and pro Freedom of the Nigerian workers.
“We will not stop calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to rethink his policies towards the Nigerian workers, all that has come from Mr President has been a bad example , anti workers and horribly promoting hardship among the federal government workers
“We want to thank in a special way the mass media for all their support and understanding. We equally appreciate the security operatives deployed to all the federal government secretariat nationwide for the high level of professionalism exhibited throughout day 1 of the protest and it is our prayerrs that all protests should be respected this way and acknowledging the rights of citizens to freedom of association and protest. We are marching on. No retreat no surrender.”
