The Head of civil service, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, recently announced that the Federal Government has endorsed the payment of ₦44 billion to public servants owed since 2012 as regards promotion arrears, salary arrears and other claims.
Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita made this announcement during a forum held at the Public Service Institute, Kubwa, Abuja. She also disclosed that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had already authorized the plans of the Federal Ministry of Finance on how to settle the outstanding claims and arrears of staff.
“Records revealed that the outstanding claims and arrears owed public servants had accumulated as far back as 2012 during which period the nation was in funding surplus but the allowances could not be paid.” said Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita.
Oyo-Ita also said that after several discussions in the past months with the Presidency, the National Assembly and relevant MDAs for the payment of outstanding promotion arrears and other entitlement; it was agreed that the sum of N30 billion be set aside for the payment of outstanding promotion arrears owed workers since 2012. Also, an additional N14 billion for payment of salary shortfall for affected Ministries, Departments and Agencies ( MDAs).
“The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation under directive has issued a Circular for MDAs to individually submit their accumulated promotion arrears which will be credited directly to your accounts.
“In the same vein, His Excellency, the Ag. President has equally directed the Budget Office of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Finance to put in place modalities for the settlement of our other outstanding allowances, this is in top gear and a Circular would be issued in due course to intimate us on the payment plans.
“Again, in line with this Administrations drive on accountability, each beneficiary will have their payment credited directly to his/her account.” said Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita.
She also said that rest assured there will be digitization of the public service operations in order to ensure more efficiency and transparency in the service delivery to the nation.
