Civil servants in the Federal Capital Territory have expressed support for a three-day warning strike by public service workers, saying rising food, transportation and housing costs have placed increasing pressure on household finances.

The workers, operating under the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC), commenced the warning action over unresolved demands involving welfare, remuneration and working conditions.

Several workers who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja said their salaries were increasingly unable to keep pace with the cost of everyday necessities.

Transport Costs Become Major Burden

For some civil servants, transportation has emerged as one of the biggest pressures on their monthly incomes.

Patrick Odey, a civil servant, said workers commuting from areas on the outskirts of the FCT to the Federal Secretariat could spend thousands of naira each day on transportation.

He estimated that some workers spend about N3,000 daily, while those travelling from more distant locations could spend between N4,000 and N5,000.

“When you compare that with your income, definitely you are not working. You cannot sustain yourself,” Odey said.

Workers Turn to Borrowing

Odey said some civil servants had resorted to borrowing through cooperative societies and microfinance institutions to meet their financial commitments.

He also identified rising fuel prices and accommodation costs as additional challenges.

According to him, some workers have had to park or sell their vehicles to raise money for essential expenses, including school fees and rent.

He claimed that annual rent for some houses had risen from around N1.5 million to as much as N4.5 million, further straining household budgets.

Call for Salary Review

Odey urged the Federal Government to review workers’ salaries and address what he described as disparities between the earnings of core civil servants and employees of other government institutions.

He argued that civil servants face the same increases in food, transportation and housing costs as other workers and should therefore receive remuneration that reflects prevailing economic conditions.

Mother of Four Seeks Relief

Another civil servant, Patricia Maurice, said the rising cost of living had made it increasingly difficult for her to provide for her four children.

She appealed to the government to address the rising prices of food and transportation.

“We are not asking for too much; we only want the rising cost of living to be addressed,” she said.

Maurice acknowledged measures taken by the government to respond to economic pressures but called for additional steps to cushion workers from the effects of ongoing reforms.

School Fees and Rent Add to Pressure

Agude Ajogwu, another civil servant, said many workers were struggling to meet basic obligations, including:house rent, school fees, food expenses, transportation costs.

He said financial difficulties had forced some families to withdraw their children from schools.

Ajogwu called for greater government attention to workers’ welfare and the broader economic conditions affecting households.

Workers Say They Are Struggling

Ezekiel Ikpaezu also described the financial situation facing workers as difficult.

“It is what everybody knows that we are not comfortable at all,” he said, urging labour leaders to continue pressing authorities to address the concerns of civil servants.

He said workers needed sustained representation in discussions with government over their welfare.

Why the Warning Strike Matters

The workers’ accounts highlight the broader pressure created when wages fail to keep pace with increases in essential household expenses.

For public servants, major expenditure areas include: transportation to and from work, food, accommodation, education, healthcare, utility bills.

The JNPSNC’s warning strike therefore places workers’ remuneration and welfare at the centre of renewed discussions between labour representatives and government.

The Wider Cost-of-Living Debate

Nigeria’s cost-of-living pressures have become an important issue for households, businesses and policymakers.

Changes in fuel prices can affect transportation costs, while higher logistics expenses can feed into the prices of food and other goods.

Housing costs also add to household pressure, particularly in major urban centres such as Abuja.

The workers’ demands reflect the question of whether existing public-sector remuneration adequately reflects these changing expenses.

What Happens Next?

The three-day warning strike is intended to draw government attention to the workers’ unresolved demands.

The immediate focus will be on whether discussions between government and labour representatives can produce progress on issues including: remuneration, workers’ welfare, purchasing power, cost-of-living pressures.

Further negotiations could determine whether the warning action remains a short-term protest or develops into a broader labour dispute.