Tinubu govt managing to pay salaries, no money anywhere – Minister Atiku Bagudu

The Federal Government has said it is facing enormous challenges and revenue deficit amid a growing population.

The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu, lamented that the Federal Government was struggling to pay salaries because there is no money.

Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, Bagudu urged non-governmental organisations to help the government to cover the spaces it could not.

He lamented that Nigeria’s population is fast increasing, adding that unemployment is surging amid high inflation rate.

According to the minister: “Government faces enormous challenges especially now; the government is facing a revenue deficit. There is no money anywhere in the country; the government is just managing to pay salaries.

“The growth rate is very slow and the population growth is fast pacing and increasing. Unemployment is surging in the midst of high inflation.”

This is coming amid reports that Tinubu approved the sum of N35,000 as wage award to all federal civil servants.

The new pay will be effective from 1 September 2023 as contained in a memo from the Presidency and signed by the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, CEO of National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Ekpo U. O. Nta.

The circular was addressed to the Chief of Staff to the President, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Ministers and Ministers of State, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Chairmen, Federal Commissions, Federal Permanent Secretaries, Clerk of the National Assembly, Secretary, National Judicial Council, Secretary, Federal Judicial Service Commission, Directors-General and Chief Executives of Parastatals, Agencies and Governments-Owned Companies Auditor-General for the Federation, Accountant-General of the Federation, Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation, and dated 19 October 2023.