Black on Monday: Federal Workers Plan Nationwide Protest Over Pay and Hardship
The Federal Workers Forum (FWF) says it will stage a nationwide protest to demand an urgent wage review and better welfare for civil servants. The decision, according to its National Coordinator, Andrew Emelieze, came after an emergency online meeting that drew workers from across the country. Voices were raised. Frustrations too.
This one, they insist, will be peaceful. But deliberate.
Workers are expected to converge at federal secretariats nationwide, with some government offices possibly picketed. And every Monday going forward, they’re being urged to wear black — a quiet symbol of protest against insecurity and the biting economic strain many say is choking households.
At the heart of it all is the N70,000 minimum wage approved by the Federal Government. On paper, it exists. In reality, many workers say they’ve yet to fully benefit from it. Some are still waiting for outstanding wage awards. Others mention unpaid promotion arrears, the 40 percent peculiar allowance, and entitlements that seem to have disappeared into files and promises.
“To keep paying N70,000 under this economy? It’s not realistic,” Emelieze said. Prices are up. Transport costs sting. Food is something else entirely.
The forum is also pushing for a Cost of Living Allowance — or at least the immediate return of wage award payments. There are other demands too: free education for workers’ children in federal schools, a proper car loan scheme, and even a special family support allowance to help civil servants stay afloat.
Because right now, many are barely floating.
Beyond wages, the forum is calling on government to tackle insecurity more aggressively. The kidnapped children in Oyo State were mentioned. So were countless other victims across the country. “Secure their release,” Emelieze urged. Simply put.
There was also a subtle jab at organised labour. The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, he suggested, have been unusually quiet. The forum wants them to declare a two-day nationwide strike over hardship and insecurity. No more silence.
For now, all eyes are on Monday.
Will offices open as usual? Maybe. Will workers show up dressed in black? Very likely.
Either way, the message is clear — frustration is no longer whispered in corridors. It’s stepping outside.
Oluwaseun Musa Lawal is an Editor at REPORTERS ROOM with over eight years of professional journalism experience. He specializes in reporting on politics, climate change, health, and education, while also covering security, economic, and judicial affairs. His work is driven by a commitment to accuracy, balanced reporting, and public-interest journalism.
