The Federal Workers Forum has urged the Federal Government to approve a new national minimum wage of N300,000 and immediately pay all outstanding wage awards, salary arrears, and other entitlements owed to workers.

The call was made on Monday by the Forum’s National Coordinator, Andrew Emelieze, in a statement issued in Abuja.

The group also called on the Federal Government to pay the outstanding two-month wage award owed to federal workers since June 2024, clear the arrears of the 40 per cent peculiar allowance, and fully implement the N70,000 national minimum wage, including all salary arrears resulting from its implementation.

According to the Forum, the current salaries of federal workers are no longer sustainable in the face of Nigeria’s rising cost of living. It urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately review the country’s wage structure.

“We reiterate our recommendation for a minimum wage of N300,000 and a maximum wage of N1.5 million for officers on Grade Level 17. We await an immediate response from Mr President,” the statement read.

The group also urged the Federal Government to fulfil its outstanding financial obligations to workers, noting that several approved benefits and entitlements have yet to be fully paid.

“We remind the Federal Government of its outstanding obligations to federal workers, including the two-month wage award, peculiar allowance arrears, and the full implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage,” the statement added.

Beyond wage-related demands, the Forum expressed concern over the welfare of personnel in Nigeria’s correctional service, alleging that many officers are compelled to purchase official uniforms, boots, belts, rank badges, and other work equipment with their own money.

The Forum also alleged that officers sitting promotion examinations are compelled to contribute money for the welfare of examiners, claiming that similar practices occur within the Federal Fire Service.

It therefore called for an independent investigation into the alleged extortion during promotion exercises and urged the government to improve the welfare of correctional officers and other paramilitary personnel.

Emelieze further described conditions in Nigeria’s correctional centres as deplorable, citing overcrowding, inadequate feeding, disease outbreaks, and the prolonged detention of awaiting-trial inmates.

He warned that the poor conditions pose serious health risks not only to inmates and correctional personnel but also to neighbouring communities.