Some civil servants have decried the delay in payment of approved salary adjustments for civil servants on the consolidated salary structure and the prolonged minimum wage negotiations.
The civil servants spoke on Wednesday in Abuja.
Uche Anune commended President Bola Tinubu for approving a 25 per cent to 35 per cent salary increase for civil servants on the six consolidated salary structures. He urged the government to expedite its implementation to help the workers ease the present economic hardship.
“It is a good thing the president appreciates that there is the need to provide some palliatives by way of adjustment and harmonisation of salaries of public sector workers at the federal level,” said Mr Anune. “However, I wish the president could expedite action in that regard because, as it is now, many federal government workers are passing through difficult times arising from certain policy adjustments.”
Mr Anune added, “I know that it is usually not very easy to negotiate and agree on sensitive issues like the minimum wage. The two parties, the federal government and the labour unions, have sound arguments.”
According to him, the president can consider the implications of salary adjustment and its sustainability, as well as the ability of state governments to pay.
Another civil servant, Joseph Edeh, said the delay in implementing the salary adjustment and the prolonged minimum wage negotiations were unfortunate. According to Mr Edeh, what Nigerians are going through presently does not warrant such delay.
Dorcas Jonah appealed to the federal government to “try and do the needful” by effecting payment of the salary adjustment. According to her, the prevailing economic hardship is taking its toll on civil servants and their families.
“So many civil servants now survive on loans; delaying the payment is not helpful at all,” said Ms Jonah.
She urged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) not to relent in their struggle for a decent living wage for the Nigerian worker.
Angela Atabo, another civil servant, said that the delay in implementing the various salary increases was counter-productive to the workers.
“The 25 per cent and 35 per cent salary adjustment was announced, and civil servants have been planning on it. We can only urge the government to expedite action on implementation,” she said.
Meanwhile, the director of press, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Bawa Mokwa, said that the wage adjustment had been approved.
Mr Mokwa said its implementation awaited a directive and cash backing by the Federal Ministry of Finance and National Planning. He urged civil servants to exercise more patience as all issues relating to salary adjustment and minimum wage would soon be resolved.
Aside from negotiations for a new minimum wage, the federal government had approved between 25 per cent and 35 per cent salary increases for civil servants on the six consolidated salary structures.
The salary increase, announced on April 30, the eve of the workers’ day celebration, was contained in a statement issued by Emmanuel Njoku, head of press, at the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.
The statement said the increase would take effect from January 1.
The six consolidated salary structures affected are consolidated public service salary structure (CONPSS); consolidated research and allied institutions salary structure (CONRAISS), and consolidated police salary structure (CONPOSS).
Others are consolidated para-military salary structure (CONPASS), consolidated intelligence community salary structure (CONICCS), and consolidated armed forces salary structure.
The federal government also approved an increase in pension of between 20 per cent and 28 per cent for pensioners on the defined benefits scheme regarding the six consolidated salary structures.
Health workers and academic and non-academic staff working in federal tertiary institutions are not included in this latest salary increase.
In July 2023, the government approved a 25 per cent salary increase for health workers under the consolidated health salary structure (CONHESS) and consolidated medical salary structure (CONMESS).
In September 2023, the government also announced a percentage increase in salaries for academic and non-academic staff of all tertiary institutions across the country.
NAN