The Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC), Trade Union Side, has called on the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, to convene an urgent meeting over the delayed payment of two months’ wage award and the implementation of the 40 per cent peculiar allowance approved for federal public servants.

The union urged the minister to meet with its leadership on or before August 11, warning that failure to address the issues could trigger industrial unrest across the federal public service.

In a letter addressed to the minister and signed by the National Secretary of the council, Gbenga Olowoyo, on behalf of the National Chairman, Benjamin Yanto, the union expressed disappointment over what it described as the ministry’s silence despite two earlier correspondences on the matter.

According to the JNPSNC, the proposed meeting is aimed at finding an amicable resolution to workers’ outstanding welfare demands and preventing what it described as a looming industrial crisis.

“The national leadership expects that this meeting will help to address the above-stated outstanding issues to prevent palpable disquiet and the brewing industrial crisis,” the union stated.

The council said its demands centre on two unresolved issues: the implementation of the 40 per cent peculiar allowance approved by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) and the payment of two months’ outstanding wage award covering March and April 2026.

It noted that the peculiar allowance was approved through a circular signed by the Executive Chairman of the NSIWC, Mr. Eyo Nta, with effect from May 1, 2026, but has yet to be implemented across the federal public service.

The union also maintained that the outstanding wage award for March and April should have been paid alongside workers’ salaries for those months.

The JNPSNC recalled that it first wrote to the minister on May 5, 2026, requesting payment of the outstanding wage award and followed up with another letter dated July 9, 2026, seeking both implementation of the 40 per cent peculiar allowance and settlement of the wage award arrears.

“To the surprise of the national leadership, none of the letters was responded to, let alone addressing the sensitive issues raised therein,” the letter stated.

The council alleged that the prolonged silence from the Ministry of Finance had heightened anxiety among federal workers.

“It is informative to add that the entire public servants have viewed the silence of the Minister of Finance since his resumption as minister as a surreptitious and clandestine way of compromising the necessary essence of directing the Accountant-General of the Federation to effect the full payment of the two months’ outstanding wage award and the implementation of the circular on the 40 per cent peculiar allowance effective May 1, 2026,” the union said.

Warning of possible consequences if the issues remain unresolved, the council said its latest request should be seen as a proactive effort to prevent workers from embarking on industrial action.

“This request should be seen as a proactive approach from the national leadership to avert drastic actions from workers due to your insensitive silence to our two previous letters,” it added.

The JNPSNC serves as the umbrella negotiating body for unions within the federal public service on matters relating to salaries, allowances and conditions of service.

The latest warning adds to mounting pressure on the Federal Government to fully implement agreements reached with organised labour following the removal of petrol subsidy in 2023 and the introduction of measures intended to cushion the impact of rising living costs on workers.

Although the Federal Government introduced a temporary monthly wage award pending the implementation of a new national minimum wage and paid it for several months, labour unions have continued to complain about outstanding arrears, particularly the unpaid wage awards for March and April 2026.

Similarly, despite the issuance of a circular by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission approving a 40 per cent peculiar allowance for eligible federal public servants with effect from May 1, 2026, labour leaders maintain that many Ministries, Departments and Agencies have yet to implement the directive, fuelling renewed agitation among workers.