The Defence Headquarters has advised retired soldiers (veterans) who barricaded the premises of the Federal Ministry of Finance in protest over none payment or short fall in calculation of new minimum wage to vacate the premises.
Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye told journalists on Wednesday that the veterans action barricading the premises “is seriously affecting the smooth conduct of activities at the Ministry of Finance.”
“The Defence Headquarters acknowledges freedom of legitimate protest, but the Veterans are strongly advised to trade with caution and vacate the premises of the Federal Ministry of Finance in order to pave way for normal government functions to be seamless conducted.”
Incessant protest by some Discharged Soldiers first began in July 2024 at the Federal Ministry of Information, when the federal government of Nigeria implemented the new minimum wage for all federal government workers .
The director explained that “before the implementation of the minimum wage, there was a chart based on which gratuity and Security Debarment Allowance (SDA) was calculated, then, the minimum wage chart.
“The 2 charts are: (a.) Pre-Minimum Wage Chart – Effective 1 Jan – 28 July 2024. (b.) Minimum Wage Chart – Effective 29 July 2024 to date
He further explained that calculation of Gratuity and Security Debarment Allowance (SDA) “for military personnel is calculated based on salary chart on the effective date of retirement.”
“Unfortunately,” he added, “the Soldiers who retired between 1 January 2024 – 28 July 2024, before the implementation of the new minimum wage wanted their gratuity and SDA to be calculated based on the new minimum wage chart.”
“This cannot be done” he said, “because the policy of the new minimum wage came into effect on 29 July 2024.”
Thus, Soldiers who fall within the category of Pre-Minimum Wage Chart, are those who continually protest and construct barricades at the Federal Ministry of Finance, despite being educated on the 2 charts by the Defence Headquarters.
Major General Kangye reiterates that “government policies have effective date of implementation and this case cannot be an exception.”