The Federal Government has faced strong criticism from labour unions after cutting the supplementary budgetary allocation for wage awards to federal civil servants by N100bn.
The controversy unfolded as details emerged from the Revised 2023 Supplementary Budget, revealing significant changes to allocations.
The government’s decision included swapping the contentious N5bn presidential yacht votes for Navy barges, increasing the defense budget from N476.54bn to N546.21bn, and allocating N20bn for capital supplementation to the National Intelligence Agency.
The National Assembly amended the budget following public outcry over seemingly extravagant items.
Initially projected to cost the government around N210bn, the four-month wage award was revised down to N110bn in the approved document.
Additionally, the Ministry of Defence saw a notable increase of N69.67bn, with the Nigerian Navy receiving an extra N25bn, bringing its total allocation to N87.8bn.
Notably, the controversial N5.095bn earmarked for a presidential yacht was redirected to the purchase of a self-propelled barge.
The Nigerian Navy also secured additional funds for building construction, tugboats, and other purposes.
The Defence Intelligence Agency experienced a significant boost of N30bn, reaching a total allocation of N47.04bn.
Other allocations, such as those to the Office of the National Security Adviser and the education loan fund, also witnessed notable increases.
Labour unions, including the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, expressed dissatisfaction with the reduction in wage awards.
Chris Onyeka, Assistant General Secretary of the NLC, emphasized that the agreement was for wage increases, not decreases.
The TUC warned the government against playing games with the wage award, citing a legally binding agreement.
Efforts to obtain an explanation from the Presidency regarding the reduced award were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
The labour unions reiterated their commitment to resisting any attempt to diminish the agreed-upon wage increase, raising concerns about the potential impact on workers already grappling with economic challenges and inflation.
