The Federal Government on Monday attributed the delay in payment of salaries in some Ministries, Departments and Agencies to the fact that the 2020 Budget was passed into law before the conclusion of negotiation on the new minimum wage and its consequential adjustment.

It said the provision made for salaries of some MDAs based on previous salaries had been exhausted, hence the delay in the payment of October salaries of some workers.

The Director of Information, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Olawunmi Ogunmosunle, in a statement made available to journalists quoted the HOCS, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, as making the clarification.

The statement was titled “FG explains delay in payment of October salary.”

The clarification came amidst rising tension among the affected federal workers.

Some of the affected workers were said to have stormed the office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation at the Federal Secretariat Complex in the early hours of the day to demand the payment of their salaries.

Although Ogunmosunle denied knowledge of such protest, she admitted the delay in payment of October salaries and said a committee was already working to come up with the figure of what is needed to pay the salary.

She expressed the belief that the exercise will be concluded this week and the outstanding salary paid.

The statement read, “The Federal Government has given reasons for the delay in the payment of October, 2020 salary to civil servants, assuring that necessary steps have been taken to resolve the matter

Source:- Punch ng