Federal Government employees in Oyo State have embarked on an indefinite strike beginning Tuesday, protesting the non-payment of five months’ wage award arrears.
Operating under the banner of the Federal Workers Forum, the workers gathered at the federal secretariat in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, to officially kick off the strike action.
The protesting workers, led by the National Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze, and Secretary General, Comrade Itoro Obong, vowed to sustain the industrial action until the federal government addresses their grievances.
According to the union leaders, the strike followed the expiration of a 21-day ultimatum earlier issued to the federal government.
Emelieze and Obong outlined the workers’ demands, which include the immediate disbursement of the pending five-month wage award arrears, the implementation of the 40% peculiar allowance, and payment of its backlog.
They 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.
“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 until the FG meets our demands.
“Our demands are straight forward. The Immediate payment of outstanding five months wage award arrears.
“The implementation of 40% peculiar allowance and the payment of its arrears. The immediate review of the heavy taxation of the federal workers’ poor wage.
“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.”
