Civil Servants to be paid, Friday

The workers will have enough money with which to celebrate the Eid-el-Fitri.

Hundreds of thousands of civil servants who work for the Federal Government will be paid their August salary by Friday, the Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said.

Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala explained that President Goodluck Jonathan approved the early payments so that the workers will have enough money to spend during the Eid-el Fitri celebrations.

“We are happy to announce that between today and tomorrow, all those in the Federal payroll should be able to collect their salaries and have a good holiday,” she said.

The Government had earlier declared Monday and Tuesday, next week, as public holidays in celebration of the Islamic festival which comes up on Saturday or Sunday depending on whether the new moon s sighted tomorrow evening or not.

The early payment of salaries contrasts with what has obtained in the immediate past when workers salaries were delayed by the Federal Government.