By Joy Yesufu
The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has called on the Federal Government to increase the minimum wage to ₦300,000, citing the rising cost of living and declining purchasing power of Nigerian workers.
The National President of the association, Comrade Shehu Mohammed, made the demand on Thursday at the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja.
Mohammed said the current ₦70,000 minimum wage was no longer adequate to meet workers’ basic needs amid persistent increases in the prices of food, energy, transportation and healthcare.
He argued that temporary palliatives and wage awards could not provide a sustainable solution to the economic hardship confronting workers, urging the government to introduce a permanent salary increase with corresponding adjustments across the various salary grade levels.
According to him, the Federal Government should not wait until the next statutory minimum wage negotiation cycle before reviewing workers’ salaries, particularly as no law sets a maximum limit on wages.
The ASCSN president also commended the Federal Government for approving the restoration and payment of gratuity to federal public servants but called for its immediate implementation to prevent bureaucratic delays.
He described the approval as a significant victory for workers’ welfare, noting that gratuity payments would provide retiring public servants with financial security after years of service.
On capacity development, Mohammed urged the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to strengthen training and retraining programmes for senior civil servants to equip them with the skills required to navigate technological advancements, artificial intelligence and modern administrative practices.
He also expressed concern over the security challenges confronting the country, particularly kidnapping, banditry and attacks on highways, which he said exposed public servants to danger while travelling in the discharge of their official responsibilities.
To address the situation, the association advocated the establishment of state police and appealed to the 36 state governors to support the National Assembly in expediting the necessary legal framework.
On the 2027 general elections, Mohammed urged members of the association across the country to exercise their constitutional voting rights, while calling on the Federal Government and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a level playing field for free, fair and credible elections.
The union president also demanded the immediate payment of outstanding promotion arrears, peculiar allowances and retirement benefits under the Contributory Pension Scheme.
He expressed particular concern over the alleged stagnation of Education Officers in the Federal Ministry of Education, claiming that the Directorate Cadre, covering Grade Levels 15 to 17, had recorded few or no vacancies for about five years.
He called on the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the Federal Civil Service Commission to review the ministry’s establishment structure and create additional vacancies for qualified officers who had passed their promotion examinations.
Mohammed also condemned what he described as increasing management interference in trade union activities across federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
He specifically accused the management of the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) of interfering in the internal administration of the union by allegedly appointing a caretaker committee following protests over staff welfare, promotions and transfers.
He described the alleged action as a violation of workers’ rights to freedom of association and trade union independence.
According to him, although the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment had intervened in the dispute, NAICOM’s management allegedly failed to comply with its directives.
The ASCSN president warned that the association, in collaboration with organised labour, would not hesitate to adopt lawful industrial measures, including nationwide picketing and withdrawal of services, against institutions found to be interfering in its activities.
He, however, reaffirmed the association’s commitment to collective bargaining and social dialogue, maintaining that constructive engagement remained its preferred approach to resolving industrial disputes.
In his goodwill message, the Minister of Labour and Employment commended ASCSN for choosing the theme, “From Confrontation to Collaboration,” describing it as a positive approach to strengthening labour-government relations.
The minister said the theme reflected the association’s commitment to dialogue, partnership and national development, noting that disagreements between government and organised labour could be resolved through constructive engagement rather than persistent strikes and industrial confrontations.
He stressed that collaboration should not be interpreted as weakness or surrender but as a demonstration of maturity, where government listens to workers’ concerns and both parties work towards sustainable solutions.
The minister reaffirmed the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment’s commitment to partnering with ASCSN on workers’ welfare, minimum wage review through the Tripartite Committee, pensions, training, decent work and the development of a modern and motivated civil service.
He also reiterated President Bola Tinubu’s position that no government could succeed without a motivated workforce, describing workers as the nation’s greatest asset rather than a cost to be managed.
The minister urged the association to ensure that resolutions reached at the NEC meeting translated into practical improvements across MDAs.
The meeting, which attracted ASCSN leaders and delegates from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, also featured the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, President-General of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Festus Osifo, and human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, as special guests.
Falana was invited to speak on the theme of the meeting, “From Confrontation to Collaboration.”
