Nigerian govt makes U-turn, rules out salary review

The Federal Government on Friday clarified the proposed review of salaries for both civil servants in the country.

Reports emerged during the week that the federal government had concluded arrangements for the review of workers’ salaries to reflect the current realities in the country.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, who addressed journalists on Tuesday in Abuja, said the government would make public its position on the salary review in 2023.

He added that Presidential Committee on Salaries set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to review the workers’ salaries would come up with a new template in the New Year.

However, in a statement issued by the Deputy Director of Press and Public Relations in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Olajide Oshundun, the government said only some allowances of both the civil and public servants and not salaries would be reviewed next year.

READ ALSO: Salary review won’t make sense without controlling inflation, NLC tells Nigeria govt

It ruled out the adjustment of workers’ salaries without the input of organised labour in the country.

The statement read: “The attention of the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator (Dr) Chris Nwabueze Ngige OON, has been drawn to the news item that the Federal Government is reviewing salaries of public and civil servants which was a fallout of his interaction with State House Correspondents after his recent audience with Mr. President.

“The Honourable Minister wishes to clarify that the increase he talked about was on the REMUNERATIONS and EMOLUMENTS of the affected workers, especially the civil servants.

“The Presidential Committee on Salaries (PCS) through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) received recommendations for review of allowances of many Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government. Because the salary component is not being reviewed for now by the committee, it addressed the allowances component of the requests including the peculiar allowance for Federal Civil Servants amongst others.

“In Labour parlance as part payment for compensation for work done, REMUNERATION or EMOLUMENT is made up of a salary component and earned allowance component.

“Therefore, the Federal Government through the PCS could not have engaged in the review of salaries without involving the workers through their Unions, represented by the two Labour Federation of workers in Nigeria – The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), salary review or renegotiation is part of social dialogue and the product is usually a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) usually agreed to by both parties – employers and employees.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Honourable Minister made it clear to the press corp that it is still work in progress and that the end-product of this review of allowances will be submitted to Mr. President for consideration and final approval and that this was one of the Labour issues he briefed him on, that day.

“It’s hoped that this rightful step which the Federal Government had embarked upon on compassionate grounds without any prodding or threat to strike will help to cushion the debilitating effects of spiralling inflation, especially that which affects food and energy prices (Electricity and Petroleum product).”

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