By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, has said that the Federal Government has commenced plans to pay all outstanding salaries and pension arrears of Federal Civil Servants in the country.
Mrs Oyo-Ita disclosed this at an event organised by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) as part of the activities marking the 2017 Civil Service Week Celebrations held in Abuja.
She said the move has reached an advanced stage with the intervention of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
“We are working very hard with relevant government agencies for the release of all outstanding allowances and related benefits due to Civil Servants.
“I am sure you recall that FEC approved a match up plan for the Federal Ministry of Finance to source funds specially for clearing the whole backlog of our salary arrears and promotion arrears. So, very soon, this will commence,” Mrs Oyo-Ita said.
On the loan disbursement, she explained that beneficiaries should have at least five years to serve in the Civil Service and should be contributor to the National Housing Fund.
The Head of Service said that over N1.17 billion has so far been released to the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board (FGSHLB) for the benefits of the people.
Mrs Oyo-Ita identified partnership as vital to ensuring that the Civil Servants enjoy certain benefits before retirement from the service. She stressed the importance of alternative strategies to developing and providing affordable housing as practised abroad, adding that the Federal Government cannot solely fund mass housing programme.
