Some members of the Nigeria Police Force are contemplating a work stoppage on Monday in protest against the delayed disbursement of the fuel subsidy palliative, as initially assured by President Bola Tinubu.
On October 1, 2023, President Tinubu sanctioned a provisional wage increment of N35,000 for all federally employed workers for a six-month period. This decision came after extensive consultations with a Federal Government delegation that engaged with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).
The wage adjustment was in response to nationwide concerns stemming from the challenges arising from the removal of the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol. President Tinubu’s announcement specified that the relief would be applicable from October 2023 to March 2024.
However, some police personnel have reported that they have received payment for only one month (October) since the implementation of the provisional wage increase. These officers, whose salary accounts are held in First Bank, Guarantee Trust Bank, and Police Microfinance Bank, expressed their grievances to SaharaReporters on Sunday.
An anonymous police officer revealed, “We were paid only once, that is the first month, being October. Since then, everything has gone quiet. No one is telling us anything, especially those whose pay points are in First Bank, GTBank, and Police Microfinance Bank.”
Expressing frustration, another officer stated, “With this type of dead silence, we may be forced to take to the streets, possibly tomorrow, Monday, to peacefully protest against the non-release of the salary palliative as promised by the president.”
Efforts to contact the Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls or a text message sent to his mobile line.
