FG Set to Increase Civil Servant’s Salaries

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has said the Federal Government is set to increase the salaries of civil servants.

Ngige stated this while briefing journalists after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.

He said, “As we enter the new year government will make some pronouncements in that direction,” the minister said on the workable timeframe for the implementation of salaries under review.

“The Presidential Committee on salaries is working hand-in-hand with the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission. The commission is mandated by the Act establishing them to fix salaries, wages, and emoluments in not only the public service.

“If you want their assistance and you are in the private sector, they will also assist you. They have what is called the template for remuneration, for compensation. So if you work, you get compensated, if you don’t work, you will not be compensated.

“So they have the matrix to do the evaluation, so they are working with the Presidential Committee on Salaries Chaired by the finance ministry and I’m the co-chair to look at the demands of the workers. Outside this, I said discussions on that evaluation are going.”

Ngige has before made hints that the administration may evaluate civil worker compensation upwards to counteract the impact of inflation.

The former governor of Anambra stated that the purpose of his visit to the State House was to inform Buhari of the work being done by his ministry as the year comes to a close.

citing industrial actions unions, he described 2022 as a year of industrial dispute. Ngige argued that because the private sector’s finances and management are subject to examination, it may have better financial and managerial practices.

“They could do collective bargaining very easily with their workers. The banking sector, food, beverages and finance, insurance, everywhere.

“So, there is calm there. We didn’t have the desired calmness on the government’s side because of the government’s finances.

“However, I’ve briefed him, we are doing some review within the Presidential Committee on Salaries, and discussions are ongoing. The doctors are discussing with the ministry of health, and insurance people in the public sector discussing and there is a general calmness.

“Hopefully, within available resources, the government can do something in the coming year,” he added.