The Federal Government has expressed concern that many civil servants are unable to benefit from its housing loan schemes due to heavy salary deductions caused by multiple loans obtained from commercial lending agencies.
Executive Secretary of the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board, Hajiya Salamatu Ahmed, disclosed this in Abuja during the Quarterly Forum of Permanent Secretaries and Union Leaders, organised by the Service Welfare Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
According to her, “majority of workers have mortgaged their salaries through what we call ‘sharp loans’, making them ineligible to service housing loan repayments. This is very sad.”
She noted that the situation is worrisome, especially as the Board has raised its loan ceiling to ₦20 million for senior officers, while also introducing a special scheme for officers on Grade Levels 8 to 14.
She further explained that the Board is partnering with mortgage institutions and private developers to deliver affordable housing for federal workers.
Declaring the forum open, Permanent Secretary of the Service Welfare Office, Mrs. Patience Onyekunle, said the engagement was designed to strengthen dialogue between government and labour unions on staff welfare, industrial harmony and productivity.
She listed some of the welfare initiatives under the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (2021–2025), including a group life assurance scheme, the President’s ₦750 billion pension bond bill before the National Assembly, resuscitation of the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), provision of free medical services at the HCSF complex, and an open-door engagement policy with unions.
On his part, Deputy General Manager of NSITF, Mr. Usman Tumsah, assured that civil servants are automatically covered under the Employee Compensation Scheme, while ongoing digitisation of claims will make compensation for workplace accidents and deaths fast.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Chika Ukachukwu, Chairman of the Ministry of Information and National Orientation Union, commended the government’s welfare programmes but urged reforms in the National Health Insurance Authority scheme.
She lamented the bureaucratic bottlenecks that make access to healthcare frustrating for workers.
The forum was attended by representatives of the Joint Union Council, PENCOM, NSITF, NHIA and other stakeholders.