Civil servants in Delta State have raised alarm over what they described as “unprecedented and distressing” deductions from their January salaries, sparking widespread complaints and confusion across the state workforce.

The outcry began in the early hours of Saturday, January 24, when many workers received their salary alerts and discovered that a substantial portion of their earnings had been deducted. Checks by our correspondent revealed that the deductions, according to the affected workers’ payslips, were largely attributed to increased monthly tax charges and higher contributions to the Contributory Pension Scheme.

Several workers who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity said the scale of the increase came as a rude shock.

“For some of us, the tax deduction jumped by about 50 percent, and in some cases over 100 percent. On top of that, the pension deduction was also increased,” one civil servant said. “Yet our salaries have not been increased. It is very difficult to understand the logic.”

Another worker lamented that the development had thrown many households into financial distress, noting that most civil servants already structure their lives around their expected monthly income.

“Our salaries are already committed before they even come,” the worker said. “Rent, school fees, transportation, feeding—everything is planned. To suddenly wake up and see this kind of massive deduction is devastating.”

Some of the workers said the combined effect of higher tax and pension deductions had significantly reduced their take-home pay, making it harder to cope with the rising cost of living.

“What hurts the most is that nobody prepared us for this,” another affected staff member said. “If there is a new tax law or a new pension policy, we should be properly informed. You can’t just wake up and start removing this kind of money from people’s salaries.”

One worker also questioned the level of understanding of the policy even among government employees themselves.

“If those of us working in government do not even understand this new tax law, how will the ordinary Nigerian understand it?” the worker asked. “That tells you there is a serious communication gap.”

The situation, according to many of the affected workers, underscores the need for better information sharing and clearer communication within government circles, especially on policies that directly affect workers’ welfare.

“As civil servants, we are supposed to help explain government policies to the public,” another worker said. “If we are in the dark, then the public is in even deeper darkness. That is not how to build trust.”

As of the time of filing this report, there was no official explanation from the relevant authorities on the sudden increase in both tax and pension deductions. Many workers are now calling on the Delta State Government to urgently address the issue and provide clear clarification on the basis for the new deductions to prevent further hardship and growing discontent among the workforce.