The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has expressed confidence that the federal government will pay arrears of wage awards to its workers.

The ASCSN national president, Shehu Mohammed, gave the assurance in an interview with journalists on Sunday in Lagos.

“Workers are going to get their arrears because while negotiating the new minimum wage, we raised the issue of wage award.

“It was explained, and approval was shown that the wage award would continue until when the payment of minimum wage would take effect,” said Mr Mohammed.

He recalled that a meeting was recently held with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation after the implementation of the new minimum wage.

“It was agreed that the government will pay the wage award,“ he said.

On the new minimum wage, the labour leader said the implementation had started. According to him, there will also be payment of arrears.

“All workers of the federal government, whether in the core civil service or ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) are going to receive arrears with effect from the month the president assented to the bill, which is July. There is no going back on that.

“In fact, during the negotiation, we insisted that payment of the arrears should come along with the commencement of payment, but we realised that if we insist on that, there would be delay,“ he said.

Another labour leader, Roselyn Uba-Anara, said peculiarity allowances, especially, were at the discretion of MDAs.

Ms Uba-Anara is the national president of the Nigeria Union of Public Service Reportorial, Secretarial, Data Processors and Allied Workers.

“Minimum wage is a law, subject to review – three years now: it was formerly five years.

“Allowances are at the discretion of MDAs, especially peculiarity allowance. It is whatever is agreed on at the negotiation table; it is an agreement, not a law,” she said.

(NAN)